Falling Down While Skiing

There are many terms for falling while skiing, for example: wipeout, biff, eat it, eat the berry's, eat powder, and many others, this is because falling is so common. So don't get embarrassed when you fall, it happens to all skiers at one time or another. Some skiers will say, "if you haven't fallen you're not improving". Only ski instructors and patrolers are not to get caught falling, if they do they'll never hear the end from their colleagues.

There are many ways in which a fall can happen. Often you'll completely lose control and your gear will go everywhere. When you begin to lose control of your direction or go too fast, try pointing your skis uphill and sitting down. This way you wont "fall" vary far.

After you've fallen. first make sure you're not hurt. If you feel serious pain, don't move. Either wait for the ski patrol to show up, have a friend find a ski a ski patroller, or call the patrol on a cell phone.

Hopefully you haven't received any injuries during you fall. Odds are you went with modern ski equipment. When you're new to skiing, getting up from a fall with skis stuck on your feet can be a little strange. You can remove a ski first and then easily get up, but then you have to put your ski back on which can be difficult.

To get up with your skis on, lay on your side and bring your skis around so that they are down the hill from your body and facing across the slope. Bring your knees up near your body, keeping your skis across the slope. Put your poles together. Place one hand on top of the pole grips and the other hand about half way up pole. "Plant" the poles in the snow near your hips on your uphill side. Pull yourself up with your top hand and begin to stand while putting pressure on the hillside edge of your skis.

If your ski came off during the fall, quickly gather up your gear. make sure the bindings have released. If not, press down on the backs to open them up. Place your skis parallel across the hill about six inches apart. Step into the downhill ski first, otherwise it becomes very difficult to put that last ski on. With the downhill ski on, the inside edge of the ski going across the hill will keep you supported as you step into your other ski.