Hello skiers and riders of the New England region 👋
Lifelong skier here originally from the Rocky Mountains, but now is exploring and learning as
much as possible about the older Appalachians with a goal to ski in every East Coast state and
province possible. Nice to meet you, but enough about me for now.
Let’s start off broadly instead. We as humans have a lot of unique features that help us stand out
amongst the cauldron of all species here on Earth. We are vertebrates that walk upright, and thus
have capabilities to strap or click into appropriate bindings. We have opposable thumbs that aid
in gripping ski poles and chair lifts. We love to argue over silly topics with the goal of being
correct, maybe…
One of those discussions that has blanketed the social media channels again is an ongoing debate
about the usage of music devices, specifically Bluetooth enabled speakers and headphones, while
partaking in outdoor winter pleasures. It seems as though one must pick a side, defend it
vigorously, and if all else fails, resort to juvenile name calling. Always a bold way to win the
discussion.
Anyhow, the goal of this read is to forego that strategy, but instead look at multiple perspectives
while incorporating in safety and courtesy so that you can be more understanding the next time
you are on the slopes.
From a practical safety perspective, not using a device is better than going with anything that
emits sound. Nonetheless, we live in the greatest time to be alive, so why not enjoy the fruits of
labor? Ski resorts get that notion, which is why there is not a national ban on the use of them
whatsoever.
However, not all devices are created equally, which means that the safety thresholds are
different, and therefore concludes that some will be more dangerous than others. For example,
headphones provide the clearest sounds to your ears due to the very close proximity to the
cochlea. You know, that spiral shaped thing inside your ear canal that allows sound to be decoded
in your brain. We are talking about one inch of separation.
Sounds great, pun intended, but it comes with a risk that anything inserted into your ear will
partially block off outside noises. This has no bearing on the volume control either, because even
when the sound is off, you essentially have ear plugs in. Our hearing faculty is one of the five
major senses, and to deliberately restrict it while maneuvering around various objects such as
trees and other people, might not be the wisest choice.
This is especially true in more remote situations such as a tree bashing run, because being unable
to hear a companion scream for help if something horrible happens is possible. Or perhaps you
are on a wide-open bowl above timberline, and even though there are a few inches of fresh pow-
pow from the night before, the layer underneath was sun baked for days and is cracking. Again,
all situationally based.
So, what about Bluetooth speakers instead? Well, they do not block the ears directly, so the
spatial distance is much greater than headphones. They can provide hours of entertainment if the
batteries do not freeze up and drain out. Quick side note, this is another reason why I advocate
for the continuance of paper trail maps, because we as humans tend to forget to carry charging
cords while on the mountain, and it is a matter of time before someone gets lost and is unable to
call for help.
Going back to the subject matter, people who use these are perceived as annoying and arrogant.
Personal observations are generally because they tend to play them at louder volumes so
EVERYONE can hear the noise. This is most prominent in chair lift lines, even when the lefties
themselves sometimes have music playing. Why is it cool when they do it, but not when a paying
customer does?
I think the next notion draws into the courtesy aspect. Not to stereotype, but most Bluetooth
users are younger in age, and they sometimes play stuff that is more vulgar and chalked full of
four-letter words. Hey, I am all for freedom of speech, but when you are creating a setting where
others are not capable of adverting their ears elsewhere, it becomes an annoyance.
I might have a few solutions though…
The first one is to turn the volume down when around
crowds or heavily trafficked slopes. It is easy to keep the noise contained to a small area so
others can enjoy their personal space too. This would allow you to play Drake, 21 Savage, Travis
Scott, etc. at your discretion.
Solution number two is playing some Bob Marley instead, because the amount of uproar from
the older crowds would easily drop off to almost nonexistent. It’s not necessarily the volume that
bends people out of shape, but instead it is the content that we hear. If you’re already jammin’ we
might want to jam it with you.
The third one is out of the control of the individual, but instead is something ski area operations
should consider, and this is to have them play music from the lift towers at appropriate and safe
volumes. Not only would this make the ride up more enhanced, but it could also help all of us
during the downhill descent by having a better understanding of how far away the nearest lift
tower is.
The bottom line is that we all have some control over this, and it is a matter of how you choose
to partake in it. Skiing and riding is a very fun recreational experience, but please be considerate
and safe while doing so. Thank you.
