The importance of youth snow safety education
By Jack Foersterling, Powder
Every year, our sport progresses as new ski and binding technologies emerge to enable us to go bigger and faster, while new lifts bring us to higher peaks and steeper terrain. But with these rapid advancements in technology, one thing remains constant. Skiing is, and always will be, an inherently dangerous activity to take part in.
That’s why, over the last decade, there has been an increased emphasis on education and safety within the ski industry. For many, this can be seen in the increasing number of adult skiers getting their Level 1 avalanche safety certification or taking other various safety courses. Others, however, are looking to take on the issue from the ground up, focusing their attention on an often overlooked demographic of the ski population–the youth.
“The biggest risk today is that there are so many amazingly talented kids going out there with little to no snow education,” said Chris Anthony, a professional skier and the founder of a nonprofit, Chris Anthony Youth Initiative Project, that focuses on the younger generation of skiers.
