Safety issues mount as skiers hit backcountry in pandemic Skiers and snowboarders flocked to the backcountry almost immediately after resorts across the country shut down last spring because of the coronavirusDENVER -- On March 14, Colorado's governor issued an executive order shutting down ski resorts across the state. In the following weeks, skiers and snowboarders with nowhere else to go were increasingly lured by the untouched powder of the backcountry. He said the outdoor retailer quickly sold out of its remaining backcountry gear when resorts closed last spring. That could come in the form of recommending guide services, pointing customers to avalanche safety courses and telling them where to find avalanche forecasts. “If we’re going to sell backcountry ski equipment, then we have to provide the knowledge to use that equipment, too,” said Scott House, an avalanche educator at the store.

Source: ABC News January 02, 2021 17:26 UTC