Vermont rescue team sees increase of calls as social media lures skiers into danger

STOWE Vt AP A rescue gang that covers Vermont s tallest mountain has seen an alarming rise in calls from inexperienced skiers who end up getting lost and in dangerous locations after being influenced by videos on social media After seeing footage online of skiers chasing fresh powder tracks in the backcountry people are increasingly skiing out of bounds finding themselves lost in the woods and in need of rescue On Nov Stowe Mountain Rescue responded to a call from a skier and snowboarder lost in the woods on Mount Mansfield The two -year-olds had decided to drive up from New York to ski in the backcountry outside Stowe Mountain Resort after seeing videos of others doing so on social media according to the rescue club They referenced a TikTok video which had influenced them Stowe Mountain Rescue chief Jon Wehse revealed These people are unprepared they re ill-equipped they re not in the right shape and they have no spatial awareness of where they are on the mountain so it causes a difficulty very fast Stowe Mountain Rescue now sees around eight missions to help groups of lost skiers per season up from around three such calls only five years ago and that doesn t include rescues by Mount Mansfield Ski Patrol in bounds at the resort With Vermont already seeing record snowfall this winter multiple ski resorts opened early for the season which has only exacerbated the difficulty Wehse revealed We have intermediate skiers that have no business being in the backcountry he stated Though Stowe has seen a rapid increase in rescues Wehse says these incidents aren t limited to the area This is not a Stowe issue this is a Vermont difficulty It s a global concern he stated Another issue Wehse revealed is that skiers are getting off the lift at Stowe and blindly following tracks left behind by other skiers that are taking them out of the ski boundary and into areas where they can no longer tackle back to the resort In a social media post Stowe Mountain Rescue urged inexperienced skiers to totally stay on the trails Keep in mind that those tracks you see in front of you might just be from Stowe Mountain Rescue s last subject the crew cautioned A lifelong skier Wehse understands the pull to find fresh snow but says there are avenues to ski other areas on the mountain more safely I love social media I love watching the videos myself However what I would urge everyone to do is to learn how to do this conscientiously The best place to start is in bounds Looking for techniques to address the response to social media videos of whooping skiers in knee-deep powder Stowe Mountain Rescue is considering the source The crew plans to create social media posts teaching skiers and riders how to enjoy the backcountry responsibly Source