Zermatt Skiing Offers Slow Slopes for Slow Pokes

The glamorous ski resort of Zermatt in the Swiss Alps has designated four ski runs as ‘slow slopes’ and there are hopes that other resorts will follow in its tracks.  

It is not so much about catering to slow skiers, or spoiling the fun of more advanced skiers, but keeping fast ski-racer types away from slower skiers should help to prevent injuries and make the slopes safer for all.  

This is good news for beginners, improvers, nervous skiers, and families skiing together…  

It is never a pleasant experience to hear fast skiers and boarders coming down behind you on the slopes and hurtling past much too close.  It spoils skiing for slower skiers as the fear of an impending collision causes tension, and fear that a wrong turn will earn them a ski or snowboard imprint in their back, or worse.  

Speaking from experience as someone who was injured by an out-of-control tree skier in Vail several seasons ago, the effort to make skiing safer comes as welcome news and a good start.  Dozens of skiing fatalities and thousands of injuries are sustained in the Alps each season.

The speed limit on the ‘slow slopes’ has been set at 19 mph (30 kph).  Monitoring the speed of skiers may not be easy, but it should not be hard to spot the reckless or out-of-control on the slow slopes and deal with them.  Skiers and boarders stopped for speeding will be warned and if stopped a second time risk confiscation of their ski pass. 

As well as trying to control the speedsters, Suva and the british Foreign Offie are promoting campaigns to encourage skiers to be more considerate on the slopes, as well as avoid the perils of drinking alcohol at altitude. Swiss accident insurance company ‘Suva’ is promoting the Slow Skiing campaign with a skiing wild boar or ‘Piste Hog’ as a reminder for skiers to control their animal instincts!

It’s a good idea to check your ski insurance policy to see what is (and is not) covered, especially when it comes to skiing off-piste and other risky activities on the slopes.  Don’t wait until the worst happens to discover that your recklessness, or drinking and skiing have invalidated your ski insurance.   You may be left having to dig into your ski parka to pay for any resulting problems.  When it comes to medical bills it could take a serious chunk out of your life savings and slow down your skiing activities for many seasons to come!

Flickr Image: nordique