Responsibility Code # 4:
LOOK UPHILL AND AVOID OTHERS BEFORE STARTING DOWNHILL OR ENTERING A TRAIL
As we continue to review Your Responsibility Code in this blog series we can see how these guidelines work together to enhance your safety at busy resorts…
We are all tasked with staying in control (code #1). We must avoid guests ahead and downhill of us (code #2). We are asked to stop in safe and visible locations (code #3). And now code # 4 teaches that, after stopping, we should look uphill before restarting. This applies to entering a trail as well; we must let traffic pass before joining a designated trail in order avoid collisions.
We can also apply this logic to avoid collisions when traversing off-piste/off-trail. Traversing is traveling across the mountain instead of down. And usually we do so in order to get to another part of the resort. Since we’re all here for downhill fun I would suggest that traversing riders give right of way to downhill movers when off-piste and away from trails.
Let’s look at two common traverse routes here at Meadows and examine how one can traverse safely.
When Lower Heather Canyon is open, Jacks Woods can be accessed from a traverse beginning at the top of the Heather or Stadium Chairlifts and entering the newly renamed Timberline Trail access gate into the Jacks Woods area. Timberline Trail traversers passing through the Shooting Star basin should be highly vigilant and look uphill to their left and continue yielding throughout their long left traverse into Heather Canyon.
South side traversers can be found heading to the Easy Rider area and its freestyle terrain parks from Mt. Hood Express. These traversing guests should keep an eye on traffic coming downhill over their right shoulder. Please yield to guests coming from Cascade or Vista Express as you cross their paths and join their trails on your way to Easy Rider and the south side parks.
Have fun anyway you choose to move around our winter playground. Take breaks when needed (in safe visible locations) but restart wisely. Be aware, careful and respectful of others when you traverse across the resort. Then enjoy the down!