Dramatic stories about skiers caught in avalanches or falling off cliffs often dominate newspaper and television stories about skiing. These types of accidents occur only very seldom, mostly as a result of the marked trails at the ski areas being well secured by the local authorities against avalanches. The greatest danger to your safety lies in recklessness and overestimating your own physical abilities. Skiing off-piste in particular demands a large degree of judgement in terms of potential danger.