There is renewed focus on safety at Quebec ski hills after tragedy struck the slopes twice in a week.
A teen and a man in his 70s both lost their lives in separate incidents in the Laurentian mountains. Now, authorities are offering advice on how to stay safe.
On Tuesday at Versant Avila, where the man died, many skiers had him on their minds.
“My sympathy to the family,” said Gilles Lefebvre, who said he’d been skiing for several decades.
“I find it very sad,” said skier Guylaine Girard. “It’s really a shame. I’m thinking of those he left behind.”
Police say they were called to Avila around 10 a.m. Tuesday after a skier in his 70s fell and suffered serious injuries as he was approaching the end of this run.
The man was pronounced dead in hospital.
Mountain ownership expressed sympathy in a Facebook post but was not available for an interview. The Avila section of Mont Saint-Sauveur is advertised as a hill tailor-made for beginners.
“You know, skiing, like every sport, has its risks. You have to be careful,” said Lefebvre.
Last Friday, a 15-year-old died after falling from a chairlift at Morin Heights.
“Our condolences go to the families of the victims, of course,” said Yves Juneau, CEO of the Association of Quebec Ski Areas.
Police say there are seemingly no criminal elements in either death, and they are assisting in the work of the coroner’s office.
Coincidentally, Juneau’s association just launched a new skiing safety campaign on Monday.
“We have the Mountain Code of Conduct and other tools to make sure that people are aware of the ability level of the slopes,” he said.
Some top pieces of advice on the campaign’s pamphlet: know your limits, stay in control, and never ride on a hill with a difficulty rating above your skill level.
“People go out of their control zone,” said Lefebvre. “They go faster than what they can control, and then accidents can occur.”
The Ski Association has also just put out a series of videos offering tips on how to safely use various types of lifts.
“It’s not related to the accident specifically, but one of the basic tips when you use those lifts is to make sure to lower the safety bar,” said Juneau. “You’re supposed to lift it at the last pole of the lift, and that way you’ll be safe.”
Juneau said too many people remove the safety bar too early. He said ski hills have the responsibility of providing a safe environment including clear warnings and signage. Juneau explained that snowmaking was taking place near where the man died, which could lower visibility. He said, however, that clear signage was up indicating that to skiers.
“I have that information double checked, the fact that they had their signs up,” he said.
Juneau told Global news there’s usually one or two fatal accidents per ski season in Quebec. The sport will always carry risk.
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