Why I do wear a helmet - Nick Parks, Chamonix
Tuesday April 7, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

Telemarking has long been my preferred skiing discipline, though in recent years I've drifted back to alpine skis.

One factor whi I now wear a helmet is that sure as eggs are eggs at least once an outing those misery sticks are going to throw me off.

To deal with this I've perfected over the years the forward roll, feel it coming, just relax, tuck your head in and let gravity take over.

I have had 15 years of luck with just one cut, though every time it happened I'd sit there thinking "good thing there wasn't a rock in the way, perhaps I should wear a helmet".

This week helmeted up and along with 12 friends and family I visited the Grands Massif.

For once the area’s jewel in the crown was open, by that I mean the Gers poma. This lift gives access to one of the finest off-piste arenas in the French Alps.

750m of fabulous terrain renowned for its powder.

I spent quite a lot of time outside my comfort zone. It wasn't the steep, powder skiing it was the fact that I was skiing with a bunch of teenagers who can really shred in the off piste and yes I was trying to be 16 and keep up!

My daughter Tara, 15, is a tidy telemarker and insists I telly with her when we go out together.

Yes the inevitable happened.

I went over the handlebars and clouted my head sharply on the tip of my skis. It left me with a nasty graze on my face but at least my skull was protected.  I thanked the stars I had a helmet on as it could have been much, much worse.

I know, the real problem is that I'm not made of rubber anymore and I should accept that!

But while the mind is willing even if the body isn't quite up to it I'm not going to let the kids have all the fun and wearing that helmet might just extend the fun for a while longer.

To me it just makes sense to wear one now and I’m very glad I do.

Nick runs the adventure company, Mountain Tracks. He is also our off piste safety experts here at PlanetSKI and  you can ask him any question about the backcountry here.

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