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Show Viewpoints The A-21 Park Record. Sat/Sun/Mon, December 28-30, 2019 editorial Recent avalanches remind us to play safely in the backcountry F guest editorial Rule No. 1 for safety on the slopes is to ski under control BUTCH MAZZUCA Vail Daily With great early season snow and more on the way (hopefully), I thought I would take a moment to address a topic that’s near and dear to my heart — the importance of mountain safety. The Skier’s Responsibility Code is the best place to start: It’s the skier’s responsibility to ski under control, people ahead of you have the right of way, etc., etc. — in fact, the entire code is printed in detail on the back of your ski passes, on napkins at mountain restaurants and on signage all over Vail and Beaver Creek, so I am not going to regurgitate them here, but they are certainly worth reading. Still, some folks just don’t seem to get it. Many feel that somehow the rules don’t apply to them. I taught skiing for 15 years and once conducted an informal poll of instructors and patrollers to find out what “situations” they felt presented the greatest hazards on the mountain. Their answers were almost unanimous. No. 1 was people skiing and riding beyond their abilities and not under control, especially in crowded areas. No. 2 was people stopping in places where they obstructed a run or were not visible to those above them. And No. 3 was people who start downhill or merge into a trail without looking uphill and yielding to others. I also asked what percentage of outof-control skiers and boarders were male The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Ryan Kostecka Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Engagement Editor............. Jeff Dempsey Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Distribution........................... Henry Knight Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Lindsay Lane Sharon Bush Emma Fedorowich Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn versus female — the answer, “almost exclusively males.” The next question was, what age group seemed to most “push the envelope.” Not surprisingly, the answer was males in their teens to late-20s. (Also not surprisingly, these observations conform almost precisely to the actuarial statistics of the automobile insurance industry. Automobile insurers understand that males aged 16 to 25 represent a significantly higher insurance risk and therefore they are charged significantly higher insurance premiums.) I’m not going to defame an entire demographic because most young skiers and riders are safe, courteous and aware; but unfortunately far too many present a legitimate hazard to others on the hill because high speeds combined with inadequate spacing spells trouble. Now to be clear, there is nothing inherently wrong with skiing and riding fast when under control — but only with proper spacing! So out of respect for others on the hill, please be aware out there, be cognizant of your periphery and maintain your spacing. I didn’t want this commentary to become a lecture, so I’d like to close by offering a few suggestions that might make everyone’s day on the mountain more enjoyable and a little safer. • After getting on a chair, ask or notify those riding up with you that you’re going to pull down the safety bar — even if someone is wearing a helmet, a “thunk” on the head never feels good. • When getting off the chair, tell those riding with you which direction you’ll be going when you get off. • When skiing on cloudy or snowy days when the light is flat, remember, you can see much more clearly when you’re within one tree-length of the trees on the sides of the runs — not only that, but the snow is usually better and there are fewer skiers. • When on catwalks, try imagining a line down the middle of the catwalk and ski either to the left of the right of it. In other words, stay out of the middle — it will keep you and those behind your safer. • And finally, an alert and energetic skier is in all likelihood a safer skier, so the time to begin hydrating for tomorrow’s ski day is immediately after skiing today. A good rule to follow is to end each day on the mountain with a couple of glasses of water. So, to our many out-of-town guests (and locals too), have fun, ski safely and enjoy your visit. Quote of the day: “There are no friends on a powder day!” — Unknown Butch Mazzuca is a columnist for the Vail Daily, a Park Record sister paper based in Eagle County, Colorado. For the record or nearly three years starting in January of 2016, there was not a single avalanche death in Utah. That fortunate run ended last season, when avalanches claimed four lives in Utah’s backcountry, including one fatality in eastern Summit County. It did not take long for hopes of starting a new streak this season to be tragically dashed, as a 45-year-old man from Salt Lake City died earlier this month after leaving the boundaries of Park City Mountain Resort and triggering a slide in a steep, avalanche-prone area that was also the site of fatalities in 2005 and 2012. Word spread quickly through Utah’s backcountry community, and news outlets across the state, including The Park Record, reported on the fatality, quoting avalanche safety experts who urged others to exercise an abundance of caution in the backcountry, particularly when conditions make slides more likely. Given the clear threat in the area, it was disconcerting when, just two days later, a skier using a snow kite set off an avalanche at the site, known as Dutch Draw. And on Wednesday, a dramatic video made the rounds on Facebook showing yet another slide on the slope, this time triggered by a snowboarder. The fatality and the two subsequent avalanches — neither of which harmed anyone, fortunately — are glaring reminders of the danger that is ever present in the backcountry. Hopefully, they will serve as a call to action, spurring other backcountry users to take the appropriate safety measures every time they venture beyond the borders of a ski resort. First and foremost, recreaters must equip themselves with knowledge before they ever click into skis or strap into a snowboard. That begins with taking avalanche safety courses — the Utah Avalanche Center offers several for free throughout the year — to learn the basics like how to steer clear of high-risk areas and what to do if a slide occurs. Monitoring daily conditions is also critical; after all, the smartest decision a backcountry user can make is to avoid dangerous areas in the first place. Skiers and snowboarders should also carry the appropriate gear with them, such as a shovel, probe and avalanche beacon. Even seasoned backcountry users make mistakes — but ones who’ve made the proper preparations are better able to act quickly and give themselves a chance to avert catastrophe. If everyone heading into the mountains adopts that strategy, hopefully we can get through the rest of the ski season without another tragedy and begin a new streak for safety in the backcountry. Information about avalanche safety and current conditions can be found at the Utah Avalanche Center’s website, utahavalanchecenter.org. letters to the editor Good neighbors One of the great gifts of living in Hidden Cove is the relatively dark sky. One can see the stars here, the spread of the Milky Way. But not so much any longer. Woodward Park City’s lights light up not only the slopes, but the homes of Jeremy Ranch, Southridge and parts of Hidden Cove. Their light streams through bedroom windows a mile or more away. This is a shame and waste. It can be partially corrected by repositioning the angle of the light, adding some shielding and turning off the lights as soon as they can at night. Easy. Simple. Cheap. Woodward is wasting energy and ruining the dark sky and ambiance of these neighborhoods. Come on Woodward. We are glad you are here. Be a good neighbor. Adjust your lighting. Jeffrey Louden Jeremy Ranch Keep ’em closed This is a letter to Park City Main Street merchants. I’m sure it’s tough to make a living on Main Street, but if you deliberately prop your front door open during the winter months, I will not be shopping at your store. Even if you have that perfect gift for which I have been searching high and low, I will not come in. It’s my own personal boycott for what I consider your absurd conclusion that people will not come in your store if the door is closed. Maybe it’s just me (I doubt it), but a closed door with a cheerful “We’re Open, Come On In!” sign on it does not deter me at all from entering a store. I have found that opening a door doesn’t hurt at all and it occurs to me that I do it all the time, every day; imagine that! I’ve heard all the rationalizations for why your door is kept open, and I reject them all. It’s simply waste- ful and uncaring, a lesson I learned a long time ago when I was a kid. As we kids would come laughing and tumbling in the door, with runny noses and red cheeks from being outside playing in the cold, if we lingered a bit too long with the door open our mom would holler, “Close the door! I’m not paying to heat the whole neighborhood!” It was good advice then, and it’s still good advice today. Mike Stevens Park City A moment of thanks During this wonderful holiday season, the National Ability Center would like to take a moment to thank Park City Mountain Resort and Vail Resorts’ EpicPromise for our remarkable partnership. Vail Resort’s undertaking of sustainability efforts and support for our Park City community are commendable. In addition, their daily endeavors are downright impressive. From overnight grooming across their vast terrain to early-morning routines to get chairs spinning, we are grateful for Vail Resort’s commitment to helping our National Ability Center participants and the greater community. Additionally, we want to show our gratitude to visitors to our area — we hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends enjoying the mountains! This holiday season, the NAC family asks that you take a moment to thank a liftie, a patroller, or any Vail Resorts employee for their hard work and for supporting us in making these joyous experiences happen. We look forward to seeing you out on Park City Mountain Resort and wish you and your family a fantastic holiday week. Kevin Stickelman National Ability Center CEO Season of giving I’d like to remind the Park City community that while it is the season of consumerism and skiing, it is also the season of giving! This year, we are taking that to heart by establishing a new annual tradition of year-end giving to Park City’s nonprofits. As a Main Street business owner of Alaska Gallery for 18 years, I’d like to encourage other local businesses to consider doing the same. We are a family-owned business that considers Park City part of our family. While Park City’s economy is thriving, some have been left behind. There is no better time than the holidays to give back to fellow Parkites and the nonprofits that very much serve as the backbone of our community. Alaska Fur Gallery’s charitable theme for this year is Home for the Holidays. With that in mind, we have contributed to Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Wasatch Counties and the Peace House. Please join me in supporting local non-profits. Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season and prosperous new decade. Marcus Hernandez Alaska Fur Gallery owner An opportunity seized Thanks to Park City Mountain Resort’s snowmaking team for seeing the opportunity with very cold weather to make early-season snow on the town runs and town bridge. Even though the Payday run had not yet opened, you opened an entrance from The Drift through the Payday run to access the town runs and Main Street. This access makes a huge difference to our locals, Main Street businesses and visitors. We are also are glad you have honored the 8:50 a.m. opening time for the Town Lift. It is very much appreciated. John Stafsholt Old Town Photos by Jeff Dempsey Asked on Upper Main Street What are your New Year’s resolutions? DeeDee Acquista Dallas “I try to set mine around this time every year. This year I’m going to look for a new job, so that’s where my energy is going. It’s good to have goals, right?” Diane Shelley Salt Lake City “I want to make it a point to have more family get-togethers. All of us live in Utah, so it’s not crazy to think we can do it.” Richard Shelley Salt Lake City “I’m glad you asked! I would have forgotten to even make one. I’d have to say continue to keep my family close. We all have our own lives now, so it’s difficult.” Tori Acquista Dallas “I don’t have one this year but I like them as an idea. It’s cool to set out what you want to accomplish and look back on it later. Unless you didn’t make any progress. Then it’s not very fun.” See these photos and more by following The Park Record on Facebook.com/parkrecord and Instagram.com/parkrecord |