For many of us, the snow is a way of life. We live for the adrenaline, for sticking that one trick, for riding away from that 45 foot drop, or just cruising the mountain with our friends. There is nothing else like it in the world. No other addiction is quite the same as snow. We are willing to put it all on the line for one thing alone, the rush of sliding down a frozen mountain on our board(s) of choice. In the last ten years, skiing and snowboarding have progressed in ways many thought impossible and with that progression comes an increased element of risk. Death and injury have become an accepted part of the game. It’s a side that not many like to talk or think about but it’s real and it’s ever present.

In order to appreciate what we love, we should be well informed of the risks involved. Death and injury and more common than we would like to admit. Each year, an average of 34 skiers and snowboarders die while participating in their sport. Billy Poole, a professional skier died Jan 22 this year after crashing off a massive cliff and tumbling over a series of rocks. Marc Andre-Bellevue was paralyzed after a ski accident when he also collided with rocks after a cliff drop.

As snow sports continue to grow and progress, injury and death are sure to increase. That is just one of the prices we pay for pushing the limits of human possibilities. Life in snow sports would never be the same without the adrenaline, risk, and progression. It’s that feeling we crave and love and the reason we do what we do. Just keep in mind what we are here for in the first place, fun.

Dwelling on the risk is not really an option while hoping to progress but remembering risks and those that have passed is a way to keep ourselves in check. It helps us stay in the mind set of pushing the limits only when the conditions are right and not when risk is multiplied by factors beyond our control.

Next time you are out on the mountain push it all you can but remember the risk is what makes it what it is. The risk is part of the life we chose and can take a toll on any rider at anytime. Risk is what helps us appreciate and respect the sport and those that continually push the limits of what is possible on snow.

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Posted by Derek on Monday, February 25th, 2008 in Snow.

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