On piste, poor snow quality also increases the risk of injury. If the snow is hard-packed or icy, it’s harder to grip with your ski edges, and can cause more severe injuries on impact. It also causes most skiers to tense up, reducing their fluency and control. As a result, you should ski gentler slopes and reduce your speed when the snow is icy. A good rule of thumb is to trade down a piste level if conditions are poor. Ski blue pistes, if you are usually comfortable on reds, and reds if you normally prefer blacks.
