How do you plant your pole to save your life while sliding down a black diamond run? (jam the pole spike into the ground to stop to stay alive)

 First you have to take your hand loops loose that hold your poles to your hands then slide your hand down the pole to the base and use the spike on the bottom of your pole to jam it into the snow which usually makes a rooster tale of snow flying into the air. But, this can stop you from sliding into trees or rocks and slow you down or stop you if you do this properly.

Doing this has saved my life more than once where snow turns to ice or you are trying newer parabolic skis which oversteer if you haven't skied on them before. So, it's a last ditch effort not to die when something goes wrong while skiing.

If you don't learn methods to stay alive while skiing maybe you shouldn't be skiing.

Just a thought. 

note: "I"m right handed so I usually loosen only the right pole loop and slide my hand quickly down the shaft of the pole to the base near the spike for leverage. With all your strength you push the spike into the snow while being aware that you have to still hold onto this pole for dear life which sends up a rooster tail of snow into the air behind you. However, doing this has saved my life more than once after I have fallen for one reason or another on a snowy slope when the conditions are right  which are more icy to do this successfully.

In some types of snow like powder this isn't useful because the powder is going to stop you almost immediately when you fall into it. Then the problem is usually breathing because your face is usually covered with powder snow. So, then you have to clear your mouth and eyes from powder snow so you can breathe and see again. However, usually you might have goggles or sunglasses on which might protect your eyes when you fall in powder snow. If you are skiing in powder snow you should usually wear goggles to keep the snow out of your eyes if you fall or even if you don't.

Also, in skiing in powder snow often you want to have some kind of face covering over your mouth so you don't breathe in the powder snow while skiing and choke on it. This way you can continue breathing successfully as you ski through powder snow.