Skiing, snowboarding and other activities that take place at ski areas involve the risk of injury. This webpage is intended to inform you of the risks, dangers and hazards that you may encounter at a ski area and help you to stay safe while enjoying these activities. Whether you are a participant in these activities or a parent or guardian of a minor participant, please review and familiarize yourself with the Safety and Risk Awareness material on our website.
The use of ski area premises and facilities and participation in activities at ski areas involves various risks, dangers and hazards. It is a condition of your use of the premises and facilities and your participation in these activities that you assume all risk of personal injury, death or property loss resulting from any cause whatsoever, including negligence, breach of contract, or breach of any duty of care on the part of the ski area operator. Your legal responsibility as a user of the ski area premises and facilities or participant in activities at the ski area is explained in the following notice, which you will see posted at the ski area.
Skiing, snowboarding, and cross country skiing (nordic) involves various risks, dangers and hazards including, but not limited to the following:
A helmet designed for recreational snow sports may reduce the risk of some types of head injuries. Helmets are strongly recommended. In some ski area programs (for example snow school lessons involving minors) helmets are mandatory. Helmets for skiing and snowboarding are light, comfortable and have achieved widespread acceptance. Please note however that helmets have limitations and that serious head injury can still occur even when a helmet is worn. Wearing a helmet is no guarantee of safety.
The Alpine Responsibility Code provides the basic rules of conduct and must be followed by all using the terrain, and is consistent across all Ski Areas of Eastern Canada.
The Alpine Responsibility Code provides the basic rules of conduct and must be followed by all using the terrain, and is consistent across all Ski Areas of Eastern Canada.
To travel uphill at Ski Areas, skiers and snowboarders use a variety of ski lifts. Users should be familiar with the use of lifts for their own safety and the safety of others.
There are many signs on and around ski lifts. Each is important in its own right, informing you about the process for loading, riding, and unloading the chair. Pay attention to and obey these signs when riding a chairlift.
If you are unfamiliar with a lift or have questions, please ask a lift attendant for assistance and directions. Ski and snowboard lessons are also great ways to learn about using the ski lifts.
Such as tbars, platters, conveyors and rope tows follow many of the same guidelines as above.
In addition to the Alpine Responsibility Code, here are some additional tips to keep you safe and enjoy your day on the slopes:
Ride Another Day: Complementing the Responsibility Code, #RideAnotherDay promotes three actions every skier and rider can take to help keep themselves and those around safer on the slopes. These three actions are:
By doing these three things every run, you’ll be helping keep the slopes safe and enjoyable, for you and everyone else.
Slow Zone banners and signs mark an area or areas of the ski hill where trails converge, base areas and where skiing fast poses a risk of injury or collision. Green runs are also generally considered to be slow zones. Please approach these areas slowly and with extreme caution. Not only is there higher traffic volumes in these areas, but they are often frequented by young children, beginners and seniors. Jumps and hits are not allowed in Slow Zones.
One of the biggest users of Green runs and Slow Zones are children. Children don’t have a high awareness of what other people are doing and are easily distracted. They might be on one side of the run and quickly without warning veer over and cross the run without checking to see if anyone is coming. Kids and adults that are learning to ski also tend to fall on terrain transitions (knolls) and can be trying to recover from a crash in an area that can’t be seen from above.
Failure to ski slowly and in control in the slow zones may result in lift privileges being revoked.
Many people have a hard time remembering what it was like to be a beginner skier or snowboarder, and having to worry about whether there is enough space to attempt a turn. So first off, think about giving people some space. Next, remember that you must always be in control whether you are on an expert run or in a Slow Zone. This is the first point of the Alpine Responsibility Code. If you are in the air, you have no control over your speed or direction. The speed expected is relevant to how many people are on the run. When there are more people on the run the 10% Rule is in effect. You may pass people at a speed approximately 10% faster than the flow of other skier traffic on the run.
When visiting a ski area, the premises is not limited to the ski runs – many ski areas will have day lodges, parking lots, restaurants, terrain parks, walkways, access roads and other ski area facilities. You will come across signage throughout the ski area premises that are important to respect and understand. Please pay close attention to all signage. It is present for the safety of both guests and employees. Failing to follow the directions on these signs may result in the loss of your ticket or member privileges. It is your responsibility to be aware of mountain signage at all times.
Skiing and snowboarding in closed runs and areas is strictly prohibited. Runs are closed for several reasons: trees have fallen onto the run, ditches or holes have rendered the run unsafe, a race or other events are taking place, Terrain Parks are not yet ready to open, or perhaps machinery is operating. Observe and obey all posted signs and warnings. Ignoring these messages may put you at greater risk. Those who violate closures may lose lift privileges.
There are a number of different signs and markers to indicate conditions, boundaries and warnings on the Ski Area Premise.
All poles, flags, fencing, signage and padding on equipment or objects or other forms of marking devices are used by the ski area to inform you of the presence or location of a potential obstacle or hazard. These markers are no guarantee of your safety and will not protect you from injury. It is part of your responsibility under the Alpine Responsibility Code to avoid all obstacles or hazards, including those that are so marked. Inbound terrain includes natural hazards including cliffs and cornices. Ski with caution, unmarked objects and hazards may exist.
The designation of run difficulty is set by each ski area individually. Skiers and riders should be advised that a Green Circle, Blue Square or Black Diamond trails are not necessarily the same as a similarly rated trail at another area. Skiers and riders should work their way up, beginning with the easiest trails, no matter what their ability level may be, until they are familiar with the trails at each ski area.
Walking in ski areas should not be overlooked as a risk, with potential for serious injuries. There are many wet, icy, slippery surfaces through the ski area premises. Slips, trips and falls are common and all users should take precautions at all times when travelling throughout a ski area. Ski boots and many types of other footwear do not provide good traction, and extra caution should be used when walking.
Updated and reviewed June 2024.