Ski California And Member Resorts Awarded For Safety Programs

Following the release of the first-ever Mountain Safety Guide for the 2017-2018 season, Ski California (aka the California Ski Industry Association) received the National Ski Areas Association’s (NSAA) inaugural Safety Impact Award at NSAA’s National Convention, marking the first time NSAA has honored a state association with a safety award.

“We are tremendously honored to receive the Safety Impact Award from NSAA,” said Michael Reitzell, Ski California president. “The Mountain Safety Guide was a bold, but important effort by all of our member resorts, and we could not be happier with the influence it had in this first year. This guide is designed to help the millions of guests be our resorts’ partners in safety.”

The Mountain Safety Guide contains safety education for every resort guest, covering everything from what to do before going to a resort, to loading and riding lifts, navigating potential hazards – including deep snow and avalanche awareness, and understanding trail signage. The guide is printed on reclaimed stone without using trees or water, and is waterproof and tear-resistant.

“Ski California stepped outside the box and created a unique guest safety piece,” said Dave Byrd, Director of Risk and Regulatory Affairs for NSAA, which has over 350 member resorts across the United States. “NSAA felt it was something that we needed to call out and honor this year; it’s an important initiative we hope other organizations look to do in the future.”

Ski California and its member resorts were nominated for six of the seven NSAA safety awards, winning three overall. Mammoth Mountain took home Best Guest Safety Program (Mammoth won the same award in 2016) and Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows received the award for Best Employee Safety Program.

“Skiing and riding are inherently risky activities, and many of our employees operate in high risk environments, so safety is a core component of what we do every day in the ski industry,” said Ron Cohen, former Mammoth Chief Administrative Officer and current Interim President and Chief Operating Officer of Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows. “We are pleased to be recognized by NSAA for our efforts on both guest and employee safety, and we were excited to work with Ski California to develop the Mountain Safety Guide.”