GU Outdoors preaches safety on the slopes

A Whitman College student died Saturday after hitting a tree at Ski Bluewood resort near Dayton in Southeast Washington.

The close proximity of this death has many people buzzing about how to stay safe on the slopes. GU Outdoors works hard to keep skiers and snowboarders' safe when partaking in their weekend trips.

Sophomore Maddie Ringer, one of the trip leaders, said "renting helmets to participants is one of the main precautions they take." When students register for the various weekend trips offered, signing liability waivers and creating an emergency contact list are the biggest safety measures they can take. "The individual skier is the only one to determine their true experience level," Ringer said. The main step GU Outdoors can take is ensuring that every student wears a helmet.

There are an average of 39 ski deaths per year in the U.S. But GU Outdoors has not experienced any serious injuries like this. Ringer could only recall a student who recently injured his knee while on an avalanche safety course with the group.

Most students know their level of skiing and feel comfortable traveling with GU Outdoors. Sarah Babich, also a sophomore, grew up skiing and has participated in two ski trips with GU Outdoors. She said she feels "very safe and comfortable on the slopes," maintaining her safety by "always making sure to ski with a buddy" and sticking to runs she knows she can control herself.