Mountain Safety

"It is more blessed to give than to receive.” That’s what Big White resident Wayne Lyseng says of his 20 years volunteering with Big White’s Community Policing Office. “The community has been very good for us, and to us.”

As temperatures dip below our daytime average of -5°C, Big White Ski Resort wants to remind skiers, snowboarders and visitors about the importance of following certain precautions to stay warm, stay safe and keep having fun out on the slopes.

A tree well is a hole or depression that forms around the base of a coniferous (pine) tree. The holes are formed when low branches stop the snow from compacting and settling around the trunk. The hole is hidden from view by the other branches on the tree. There is no easy way to identify if a particular tree has a dangerous tree well by sight, due to the fact that the low lying branches block sight of the hole. Therefore, treat any tree you cannot see the base of as a potentially dangerous tree well situation.

You’ve seen it on posters, you’ve seen it on stickers - and no doubt a chairlift tower or two - so just what is The Alpine Responsibility Code?

The lifts are spinning, the season has started - it's the perfect time to remind yourself of some early-season safety tips.