'Disturbing' trend putting tourists in danger on Aussie ski slopes

"We could have ended up with serious injuries!!" Have you noticed this hazard?

A recent post in a popular Snowy Mountains Facebook group has shed light on a disturbing trend putting skiers and snowboarders at risk on Aussie ski slopes.

A furious skier took to the page to vent her frustration after she and another woman were knocked over by a snowboarder who was too busy filming himself to pay attention. 

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. 

Image: IStock

RELATED: Aussie dad calls out common problem with taking kids skiing

"Badly hurt": The 'dangerous' ski trend

"To the totally F&@KING inconsiderate, irresponsible, selfish snowboarder who took me and another lady out while skiing down to the Terminal chair, I hope they took your ski pass off you!!!" she raged.

The snowboarder was allegedly filming himself with a selfie stick when he crashed into the woman from behind, hitting her so hard she was knocked off her skis and thrown to the ground.

"He didn’t stop and wiped out another woman 50 metres down," she wrote.

"He stopped then, but only because he fell too. She looked badly hurt. Luckily, I only came out of it with bruises. He was not looking where he was going. He needs to read the mountain rules. Give way to downhill skiers. Stop to see if the person is okay. [We] could have ended up with serious injuries!!"

Introducing our new podcast: Mum Club! Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

RELATED: The entitled snow habit that is infuriating Aussie skiers

"Really irresponsible"

The post quickly went viral, with many group members echoing her concern about the use of selfie sticks on the slopes.

"Guy sounds like a beginner, just like nearly everyone else going down that slope, or an idiot. Hard to tell," one wrote.

And this person didn’t hold back, saying: "It’s really irresponsible for someone to be so careless, especially on a slope where safety is paramount."

Another commenter said: "I hope you are okay. Snowboarders and their arrogance scare the sh*t out of me. And my grown adult kids are boarders, but I’ve instilled safety, not selfies, into them."

"I do hope that this person realises the extent of what he has, and could have caused," one person added. "I think it is important we address how selfie sticks and filming impact your awareness of others around the mountain, especially at high speeds and alongside being ignorant."

Another member chimed in, sharing a similar incident: "11-year-old granddaughter taken down by 20-something boarder today on Front Valley. Fortunately, she was not injured."

"If people don't know how to ski, they shouldn't be using selfie sticks"

Kidspot spoke to a former ski resort employee who shared some insights into this worrying trend that’s putting skiers at risk.

"I saw people using selfie sticks a lot while I was there," they said. "If someone is being super reckless on the mountain, then ski patrol should give them a warning or take away their lift pass if they are being a danger to others.

"If people don't know how to ski, they shouldn't be using selfie sticks. People break bones and get serious injuries all the time on the slopes. It’s dumb. If you don’t have the skills, learn how to ski before you make a cool Instagram video of yourself.

"In saying that, I encourage people to also look out for themselves. It's like being on the road - you can be a safe driver, but you can't control what everyone else is doing. So keep your wits about you."

Originally published as 'Disturbing' trend putting tourists in danger on Aussie ski slopes