Save the Parks!
The Industry Commits to Terrain Park Safety
By Jenn Weede

As catching air lures more and more ambitious young skiers and riders, terrain parks seem to have evolved into "trauma parks." A recent study commissioned by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) revealed that the snowboard injury rate has doubled in the past 10 years, indicating there may be some merit to the moniker. But freestyle riding is a key growth area for the ski and snowboard industry. To capitalize on this growth without inadvertently putting skiers and snowboarders in harm's way, the snowsports industry is searching for ways to promote park safety.

Across the country, ski resorts are implementing increased safety precautions and awareness messages in a number of ways. Some segregate terrain parks and quarter- and halfpipes into beginner, intermediate, and advanced areas; many publish responsibility code messages at each lift line, in booklets, and on local television broadcasts; and others now display "We recommend helmets" signs.

Resorts such as Aspen Skiing Company in Colorado communicate safety through letters mailed to all pass holders and frequent visitors, through videos and presentations to grade school children, and via community gatherings that emphasize the importance of responsible skiing and riding. Many resorts mandate helmets for kids in ski school and offer helmet discounts to employees.

"These safety precautions stem from when a lot of us were growing up and skate parks became almost extinct because of the potential liabilities," said Shaun Cattanach, an American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) snowboard instructor and Burton's Learn to Ride and resort project manager. "We don't want to see the same thing happen on the slopes. We don't want liability issues to drive resorts to shut down parks."

One significant new means for promoting park safety is "Smart Style," a program developed by Burton and NSAA to educate skiers and riders and make everyone aware of safety precautions when riding in parks and pipes. Designed to complement the Skier Responsibility Code endorsed by most ski and snowboard areas, Smart Style advocates three safety messages posted at participating resorts, in catalogs, and on manufacturer and resort Web sites, stickers, and promotional materials.

"Look before you leap" encourages riders to assess jumps and landings before launching them.

"Easy style does it" suggests starting small and gradually working up to bigger, more difficult tricks.

"Respect gets respect" reminds riders to show consideration to others by waiting in line and by rapidly clearing the landing zones.

A bright orange oval on mountains and trail maps marks areas that require the extra attention to Smart Style safety.

"The Smart Style Program is a clean, clear way to communicate the importance of terrain park safety to all park riders," said Mike Kaplan, senior vice president of mountain operations at Aspen Skiing Company. "We've incorporated the message into the Aspen Skiing Company 'Safety Tip of the Day,' which appears on our local television station's live morning show, 'Aspen Today,' as well as at the top of the mountain and on trail maps."

The program is designed to protect the industry as well as the individual riders. Terrain parks help small mountains draw crowds, keep riders and skiers coming even when the snow doesn't fall, and entice a variety of participants to spend time on the hill.

"It's about getting more people out there having fun and coming back," said Cattanach. "We've thrown Smart Style out there and we're hoping others in the industry will hop on board."

According to Tim White, director of education for NSAA, about half the industry has embraced the program since NSAA and Burton introduced Smart Style in December 2001. "We easily at least doubled the number of resorts participating in the Smart Style Program by the 2002-03 season, and we expect to have near universal use by the 2003-04 season," said White. More than 75 percent of NSAA ski resorts have terrain parks, so the dramatic jump in participation bodes well for the future of the program.

"Safety is the number one issue for terrain parks," said Riley Polumbus, spokesperson for Steamboat Mountain Resort, which expanded its terrain park in 2002 for the second year in a row. "More people are doing more extreme things in-bounds, so the Responsibility Code is even more important. Smart Style helps communicate that."

Program developers and supporters hope Smart Style's orange oval will become as widely recognized as the green circle, blue square, and black diamond. Many resorts adding terrain for jibbing and spinning and getting big air will come to depend on the orange oval to help manage increased traffic through the parks and pipes. Colorado resorts Steamboat, Aspen, Breckenridge, Telluride, Winter Park, Eldora, and Copper opened new or improved freestyle terrain during the 2002-03 season. To help reduce the incidence of injuries, Telluride, Steamboat, Aspen, and Breckenridge created separate terrain park areas for beginner, intermediate, and advanced riders and skiers.

"Jumps and terrain parks have consistently gotten bigger over the years, and more people are now riding the parks. So as an instructor bringing riders into the terrain park, I am reminded to discuss safety and etiquette with my guests," said Gregg Davis, an AASI professional who has been teaching snowboarding at Breckenridge for 10 years. Davis also helped develop the AASI Rocky Mountain Division Freestyle Accreditation Program, which certifies instructors in teaching guests about safety in terrain parks and halfpipes.

Still, there are simply more people heading for the parks and more opportunities to play hard in them. Park- and pipe-specific lessons are another way that resorts are attempting to encourage participation while reducing the chances for accidents and injuries.

"Terrain parks and super-pipes are part of the twenty-first century of ski resorts, and we want to create a safe place for them," said Polumbus. "As part of our commitment, we've introduced Maverick's super-pipe and terrain park lessons this year, as well as smaller pipes and hits for beginners."

Through written communications, safety programs, and park areas segregated according to skier and boarder skill levels, the snowsports industry has rapidly unified to promote safety in the use of terrain parks and pipes. By protecting a key customer base as well as the resorts themselves, universal support for the safety initiative will only help the industry help itself.