Your Crucial Guide To Riding The Trees

Riding trees can be a magical experience

All FreeRiders dream of shredding open slopes on bluebird powder days but when the weather closes in, or the upper mountain is out of bounds, we often take to the trees. They can be some of the best days of our lives. Riding in trees can be a magical experience, so much so that a popular FreeRide line above the French resort of Le Praz is known locally as ‘Narnia’ after the magical forested kingdom created by CS Lewis.

Some of the best untracked lines can be found in the trees

Here are six simple steps to help you have the best day:

1. Gear Up.

Trees are off-piste so you’re going to need your TSP (Transceiver, Shovel and Probe). If you haven’t already added a helmet and goggles to your FreeRide wardrobe now would be a good time. Trees are pretty solid, immovable objects that you won’t want to take head on without some protection. Swatting snow laden branches is all part of the fun but an eyeful of pine needles? Not so much. If you’re a planker, it’s also a good idea to remove the straps from your ski poles, or at least tuck them into the palm of your hand rather than around your wrist. Catching a pole in a branch or a tree root is a real possibility that could result in a shoulder dislocation. Add a whistle for communication and you’re all set for an awesome day in the trees.

2. Don’t go too early – or too late.

The forest floor is not groomed so it tends to be littered with obstacles; tree roots, stumps, logs and boulders to name but a few. Riding the trees is not recommended as an early or end of season activity. It’s better to wait until the snowpack has built up sufficiently to cover up the worst offenders and offer a soft landing should you take a tumble.

3. Buddy Up.

This is the golden rule. Tragically, tree wells – the hollow cavity around the base of a tree – kill riders every year. Even the very best pro riders need a tree buddy because everyone makes mistakes that could result in a headfirst fall into a tree well. It can be difficult to maintain visual contact with a large group so it’s better to break down into nominated pairs before heading into the forest. Ski in short bounds stopping frequently to maintain contact. If you do lose sight of your buddy, stop immediately and take all necessary steps to re-establish contact.

4. Communicate.

Communication with your tree buddy is vital. If you haven’t already done so, swap phone numbers and once in the forest don’t be shy about raising your voice. If you lose sight of your partner, shout, holler and yell. Use your whistle if you have to. It’s always a good idea to have some agreed signals. For example, short whistle blasts might mean you have a problem that’s delaying your progress (you fell or maybe blew a plank) but you can sort yourself out. Long whistle blasts mean you have a problem and need assistance. You also need an agreed set of responses to these signals. Short whistle blasts indicate you should stop and wait for your partner to rejoin you. Long whistle blasts mean you need to make your way to your partner as quickly as possible.

5. Raise the alarm early.

If you do lose visual contact with your partner and cannot establish communications do not delay in raising the alarm. Call the emergency services and start a search procedure by switching your transceiver to search and returning to the last point you saw your partner. It’s worth bearing in mind that communications often break down when one buddy takes a tumble. If you do fall, your first responsibility is to let your partner know. Only once you have successfully re-established contact should you start the process of rebuilding and carrying on.

6. Go Easy.

Riding in the trees tends to be a journey of discovery – even in an area you know well. Keep your speed down, ride where your ability allows and, however tempting it might be, don’t go launching off blind rollers!