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

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Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. influence / ˈɪn flu əns / (v.) – to affect the way someone thinks, behaves, or makes a decision, often without directly telling them what to do
    Example:

    He was influenced by travel videos on social media to go to places he had never heard of before.


  2. backcountry / ˈbækˌkʌn tri / (n.) – an area away from towns and cities, especially in the mountains, where there are few people and no marked paths
    Example:

    They got lost in the backcountry because there were no roads.


  3. out of bounds / aʊt əv baʊndz / (idiom) – in a place that is not allowed for people to go to
    Example:

    Children were told that the construction site was out of bounds.


  4. spatial / ˈspeɪ ʃəl / (adj.) – relating to the ability to understand, see, or think about the position, distance, or arrangement of objects in space
    Example:

    Because he is new to this environment, he has poor spatial awareness and often gets lost.


  5. exacerbate / ɪgˈzæs ərˌbeɪt / (v.) – to make a bad situation, problem, or difficulty even worse
    Example:

    His argument only exacerbated the misunderstanding between them.


Article

Read the text below.

A rescue team that covers Vermont’s tallest mountain has seen a 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 November 29, Stowe Mountain Rescue responded to a 911 call from a skier and snowboarder lost in the woods on Mount Mansfield. The two 19-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 team.


“They referenced a TikTok video which had influenced them,” Stowe Mountain Rescue chief Jon Wehse said. “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 problem very quickly.”


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 season, many ski resorts opened early for the season, which has only exacerbated the problem, Wehse said. “We have intermediate skiers that have no business being in the backcountry,” he said.


Though Stowe has seen a rapid increase in rescues, Wehse says these incidents aren’t limited to the area. “This is not a Stowe problem; this is a Vermont problem. It’s a global problem,” he said.


In a social media post, Stowe Mountain Rescue urged inexperienced skiers to simply stay on the trails.


A lifelong skier, Wehse understands the pull to find fresh snow, but says there are ways 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 carefully. The best place to start is in bounds.”


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The article says that videos on social media are influencing inexperienced skiers to take trips into very dangerous locations. Why do you think some people try dangerous activities they see online, even if they are not prepared? Should social media platforms take more responsibility for this kind of content, or is it each person’s choice to stay safe? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Would you try skiing in an unfamiliar backcountry if you saw online videos of inexperienced skiers doing it? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Rescue teams report that backcountry missions for lost skiers have increased from three per season five years ago to about eight per season now. What do you think is the responsibility of ski resort businesses and local authorities in keeping skiers safe? Discuss.
  • Seeing that rescues are increasing, how would this information affect your own choices if you were going to ski or do an activity in the backcountry? Would you change anything about your preparation or plans? Why or why not? Discuss.