Where should the Newbie be positioned on the trail?

[CrystalRose]

I thought I would pose this question to the more experienced skiers: Where would you like to see new and nervous skiers on the trails? I'm not necessarily taking about trail ratings of Green, Blue, etc. but actual placement.

Let's say as a new skier I decide I'm ready to get on a Blue trail but once there I realize I bit off more than I can chew. Should I stay off to the side as I inch my way down or should I be clearly visible in the middle and leave the sides for faster passing skiers? I know it is the responsibility of the uphill skier to be vigilant but where would the nervous skier be most out of their way?

 

[graham418]

I would say that it doesn't matter so much where you are on the trail, so much as trying to maintain a consistent corridor. Be predictable, so others can pass you safely.
and don't stop somewhere out of sight (ie behind a knoll) or in a choke point.

 

[Chris Walker]

I don't think there's really a good answer to this. Sticking to the side of the trail is an instinctive choice as most of the traffic is going to be in the middle. However, the edge of the trail is where a lot of fast skiers like to bomb the run for this exact reason.

So I guess the best place would be off to the side but not right next to the woods.

You are absolutely right that it is the uphill skier who is responsible for avoiding you, so in a perfect world honestly you should be able to ski wherever the heck you want.

People being what they are, though, it's a good question. I think the main thing is to keep your route as predictable as possible. Try not to traverse all the way across the hill. And above all else, make sure not to stop where you aren't visible from above.

 

[T-Square]

Be careful, be safe. Remember there are always green lines on the hill that you can use. The more experienced skiers should remember that they were once in your position and give you an appropriate berth as they ski by. As far as a location, there is no ideal spot. Just make sure not to linger in areas that cannot be seen from above. That includes humps and blind curves. Be aware of your surroundings.

 

[crgildart]

If you find yourself WAY over your head flag down another skier and ask for help. It may take a few minutes for word to get from the liftee at the bottom to an available patrol at the top, but they will come get you and give you and your gear a ride back down to the easier terrain. I can't even fathom the number of people over the years I've seen get seriously hurt trying to sideslip or taking their skis off and trying to walk down steep, icy terrain when they realize they aren't up to skiing it. Find a safe spot, in plain view from above, and ask folks passing by to get help if you find yourself someplace you can't reasonably manage,

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I think a big thing would be just to make clear consistent turns so that people coming up behind you know what you are doing. The person in front does have the right of way but if you are making predictable turns then someone uphill can see what you are doing and go around you if they so choose. This is something I've worked on a lot in the last year. I'm a slower skier so I make a concerted effort to make a consistent pattern as I'm making my way down the trail so that when someone in back of me wants to pass me they have a sense of where I'm going. I tend to ski over to the side but not next to the woods because many people like to bomb the side of the trails hoping for powder stashes so I try and stay out of their way. I think the point about not traversing across the entire run is also a good one. I'm a turner so I try to cut the run in half and make half the side of the trail my area so that way it's easy for someone to pass me if they choose. I also like the point about stopping in a safe place so that others skiing down can see you.

I know I've gotten to many a trail and gone uh oh. It's ok to take it slow, make lots of turns, stop as often as you need. One thing that I remember is I know how to turn and I know how to side slip. I just take it slow.

If you are really over your head, ask a passing skier for help.

One time I went down this run that was particularly hairy because it was icy hard pack and it was pretty steep. I skied over to the side and apparently was there for a few moments because a skier came up to me making sure I was ok which I thought was cool.

Just take it slow, stop if you need to in a safe place and just take it one turn at a time.

 

[Philpug]

Stopping is good, it gives you a few moments to recover and regroup both mentally and physically. IMHO this is a great question to ask and as much as some might think it is pretty much a no brainer, it is not. Many beginner & intermediate will have signs to "Take a Break" or "Rest Stop", these are good. but like if you are going to stop at a rest area along the road, have some common sense and not block the traffic. When the sign is in the middle of a trail, it basically takes up the middle one third of the trail, if you stop next to it, you are taking up that much more trail, if you are in a group and they stop next to you, there goes another third of the trail. Stop after or behind the sign.

Like driving, after the stop, you will be merging back on to the trail, again like a car, merging into traffic from a dead stop. Look up trail, do you have a clear opening? Again a little common sense.

 

[markojp]

Look for and move to the 'slow water' a la the flattest sections of a given marked trail and link these 'islands' together. Don't stop out of view from those potentially overtaking from behind. Remember to breath.

 

[CrystalRose]

Thank you for your thoughtful responses!

Also thank you to @crgildart because I didn't know this was an option! I know ski patrol would get you if you are injured but not if you are simply stuck. My father loves to tell a story about how he accidentally ended up on a black trail and spent 2 hours falling down it. So I just assumed that you had to resign yourself to "This is my life now...". I triple check trail maps and signs so that I won't suffer the same fate.

I asked this question because I struggled down a trail and went to the side but then a few people passed by going really fast between me and the trees. I figured maybe I shouldn't be there and moved to the middle just to have people whizzing by on both sides and I didn't know if I was an annoyance/obstacle to them. Besides the fact that it is unnerving to hear potential death coming from behind (OK a little dramatic), I didn't know if I was committing a faux pas or breaking some rule.

 

[Sibhusky]

I think the ski patrol "cab ride" is going to be very situational, depending on how busy they are, how bad the slope, etc. I would not rely on it one bit.

If YOU CAN SKI the trail, naturally ski it consistently making the same size turn each time and don't use up the whole width of the trail doing it. But, something tells me IF YOU CAN DO THAT, YOU ARE NOT IN OVER YOUR HEAD. Being "over your head" to me implies being unable to make that next turn. Probably being somewhat frozen in place. I think the key thing here is to remember to don't have to really ski the thing. You can side step it or side slip it as well. Make sure you don't get to the very edge and decide you can't make the turn, because at that point it'll become true. Stop short of the edge, say five feet back, so that if you try moving again it'll be a matter of starting a side slip or a snow plow turn and suddenly being able to MAKE THE TURN. Then KEEP MOVING. Just remember to only stop where you'll have room to go when you get your heart rate under control. Trail edges severely limit your options.

 

[newboots]

I've been afraid of who is behind me, too, and discovered that looking backwards does not improve my skiing. I also try to make consistent turns, so that skiers behind me find my movements predictable. I haven't yet figured out how to fall only in high-visibility spots, though.

*Special take-home point: If you want to be visible, don't wear white.

 

[otisshirley]

I've been told by an instructor (PSIA level 3, FWIW), when tagging along on my daughter's lesson, that it's best to be in the middle when going slowly, both because some people ski fast down the edges and because it makes you more visible from above (and means skiers above you can pass you on two sides). It's also good advice because, as mentioned by @Sibhusky, you may panic and freeze if you get too close to the trees and feel like you are running out of room to turn. So keeping away from the trees will reduce the chance of panicking.

Working on sideslipping is also a good idea, because if you can sideslip forward and backward, you can get down most steep sections without turning at all. But it isn't a panacea, because if the slope is steeper and icier than you've ever been on, you may not be able to control your speed.

 

[river-z]

I have had to put on the brakes hard from time to time when slow skiers drifted across the trail in unpredictable fashion. Unpredictable drifting is likely to lead to a collision eventually. Consistent movement whatever the speed is much appreciated, no matter what part of the run you choose to go down.

I am always amazed when people (usually snowboarders) sit in the middle of the run underneath a lip. GAH

 

[Bad Bob]

What everybody else has said here. When you do stop, do so towards the side of the run (like the driving analogy) to avoid blocking traffic. Look uphill before you start out again.

Avoid looonnng traverses across the hill between your turns. It may sound counter intuitive but it really is easiest to start a turn when you are ending a turn. Try this and you might find yourself to be a better skier faster than you think.

Oh ya. Smile, it will help.

 

[crgildart]

I have had to put on the brakes hard from time to time when slow skiers drifted across the trail in unpredictable fashion. Unpredictable drifting is likely to lead to a collision eventually. Consistent movement whatever the speed is much appreciated, no matter what part of the run you choose to go down.

I am always amazed when people (usually snowboarders) sit in the middle of the run underneath a lip. GAH

And if you hit any of them, unpredictable sudden change of direction or sitting in the ground just past a roller it's 100% on you. Better, uphill skier is responsible to avoid novices or just plain dumb people doing naive or dumb things ahead of them. Don't blast over a roller faster than you can stop if someone is lying on the ground injured there completely invisible to a fast approaching skier from above. I send my kids ahead and have them stop and spot features like that if I want to hit them fast and get a little air. No spotter, no speed beyond that ability to shut it down should someone be there totally unexpectedly.

 

[Alexzn]

If you are out of your league on a slope, your only two concerns should be (a) getting down safely and (b) not injuring other skiers. So as long as you can control your speed, you should not care where you are. Stay away from the trees and try to follow the flattest route. Usually this involves going in the middle of the slope. Faster skiers will be annoyed with you, but that's their problem, they better deal with it. Whatever you do, try not to stop under a roll. Trucker mirror rule: If you cannot see uphill skiers, they cannot see you.

 

[LiquidFeet]

.......
I asked this question because I struggled down a trail and went to the side but then a few people passed by going really fast between me and the trees. I figured maybe I shouldn't be there and moved to the middle just to have people whizzing by on both sides and I didn't know if I was an annoyance/obstacle to them. Besides the fact that it is unnerving to hear potential death coming from behind (OK a little dramatic), I didn't know if I was committing a faux pas or breaking some rule.

The situation you are describing is common. If you need to stop to gather your thoughts, let your heart rate slow down, and figure out how to proceed next, stop near but not right at the side of the trail. Try not to come to a dead stop right in the middle of the trail, and certainly not around a bend where you can't be seen by skiers above.

Expect that some faster skiers may choose to pass behind you next to the trees. When you are stopped at the edge of the trail, leave them some room back there. Look uptrail for them as you wait for your pulse to lower, and if you see someone coming who looks like they want to pass behind you, let them know you see them. The best way to do that is to gently take one or two steps out into the trail while looking at them. They will appreciate it and you'll feel safer since you are an involved partner in helping this to happen safely.

Adopting this attitude at the side of the trail lets you stand there safely as long as you need to. When the traffic clears, you can head out into the trail and get yourself down anyway you can. If you can't ski a consistent corridor, and you probably won't be able to if indeed you are in over your head, just keep waiting until the traffic clears and ski the line that works for you. Heading all the way across the trail, making one turn, then heading back is fine as long as there is little traffic and you are watching for it.

When you need to stop to push the reset button, you'll want to stop facing the trail, not the trees. Unfortunately, these stops often happen with the skier facing the trees with no space left to turn. It's a good idea to figure out how to sideslip backwards enough to give yourself room to make one turn so you'll be facing the trail. You also will be better equipped to handle this when it happens if you can do falling-leafs, and do a kick turn (seek someone who knows what these are). All of these are good for getting you turned around when you are facing the trees while in over your head.

You're not alone; this dilemma happens to everyone when they are actively building skills.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

This happens to all of us along the way. Sometimes I get in over my head and need to stop to rest or to regroup or just to catch my breath and get my courage back. Make sure you are not in the way of traffic. Generally, this means pulling off to the side but not always. Look around and see where everybody else is. Always stop at the top of a drop and not below it. Try to make one last turn to face towards the center of the run so you can see all directions. Sometimes this is not viable. If you are in the middle of a large bowl, it doesn't really matter; just make sure you are visible to anyone skiing down.

 

[Ken_R]

Lots of great info given to a great question that I really have not though of. In short I agree that being both visible and predictable are a MUST. Since most serious accidents on the hill involve trees (and other obstacles like lift towers, barriers/fences and snowmaking equip.) I would stay well away from them if I were a beginner.

 

[mdf]

Leaving aside the issue of what makes it easier for the newbie to get down, I think about it is best to be near-ish but not right at the edge. Then the middle is open for people a little better than you who are challenged but attacking (and clueless, skillless zoomers). But leave a lane at the side for the skiers who are hugging the edge of the trail.

And as noted above, being visible and predictable is the most important thing to do.