Skiing Out of Bounds: Snow Job?
In a snow season marked by killer avalanches—13 dead in the U.S., including 10 skiers or snowboarders who were “out-of-bounds”—an icy issue has sparked a heated debate: should there be tougher legal consequences for sneaking away from groomed slopes to make fresh tracks in unpatrolled areas?
In December, two Colorado snowboarders ducked out-of-bounds at a ski resort and into an area with live explosives set for avalanche prevention. Their punishment? Revocation of their ski passes by the resort, for just two weeks.
When a New Mexico snowboarder ditched resort slopes on New Year’s Day and then became lost in an out-of-bounds wilderness, he triggered a dangerous and expensive rescue. Ski patrollers finally found him at 2AM, hypothermic and lying in the snow. His punishment? Possible revocation of his snowboarding pass by the resort for an undetermined number of days.
“It’s not smart behavior, and it’s not responsible behavior,” said one of the rescuers, who risked his life to find the errant snowboarder.
But it’s definitely controversial behavior.
The deaths of 13 avalanche victims in Canada this season—including an out-of-bounds snowboarder and a skier—have prompted the government to consider for the first time legislating penalties for rogue skiers, boarders, and snowmobilers. A new national discussion about the slippery slope of responsibility quickly turned shrill.
“Time to bill idiots for rescue,” blared an editorial in a Canadian newspaper, which bluntly took to task rogue skiers and boarders. : “As long as we have a moral imperative to save these numbskulls from themselves, there’s no reason they shouldn’t pay dearly for the cost of our kindness.” A typical out of bounds rescue is expensive, with searchers, backup help, and frequently a helicopter.
But a Canadian official says forcing rule breakers to pay for their own rescues might backfire. “People may not call (for help) if they think their family is going to be faced with a huge bill,” he explained.
Tell us what you think: Should skiers and snowboarders be held responsible when they break ski resort rules, even if no harm was done? Should rogue skiers and boarders have to pay for their own rescues?
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What about
What about charging the Ski Resort?
I bet that would get the attention of the resorts perhaps enough to keep the players inbounds.
Vix | 1 year, 1 month ago
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Skiing is expensive enough already
For those of us who don’t get up to the hills that often, skiing is expensive enough already. I don’t think it’s a good idea to bill the ski resorts for a rescue unless one of their attendants knowingly allowed the out of bounds skiing.
Perhaps, however, you could purchase optional “skiing insurance” that covers rescues, etc. And if you’ve ever been caught out of bounds, etc – that insurance is a mandatory part of your pass.
Anonymous | 1 year, 1 month ago
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...expensive enough...
I hear you. It used to be something the family could do together, now the family can only do that if they are well off.
I gave up skiing in 1985 as I could not afford it. When I got to where I could afford it again, I couldn’t see paying that much.
I think the threat of being charged for rescue may cause regular people to re-think their actions, but then regular people stay in bounds. How to keep the others in bounds is the issue.
Vix | 1 year, 1 month ago
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Personal responsibility, dude
The out-of-bounds skier should be charged for his own rescue. If you wanna break the rules, then you—not anyone else—should take the consequences if there are any.
Derek | 1 year, 1 month ago
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All for Responsible Backcountry Skiing
Many of the resorts out west freely open the ropes to back country skiing after a storm (and after avalanche control). So the resorts play a part in controlling/patrolling those areas and should be held partially accountable for safety.
With that said it’s more about the resorts and individuals being educating in the back country. You have to be a strong skier and bring gear (beacon, shovel, probe, PB&J’s, water) and ski with at least one other person.
Those skiers and boarders that don’t comply and really do ski “rogue” should be held accountable – maybe not to pay for the rescue but should be fined by the state for their irresponsible actions.
I’m all for back country skiing as long as you’re smart about it.
Jillian | 1 year, 1 month ago
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Back Country is for experts
Jillian and Dereck have it right; if you know enough to ski out of bounds, and many do, then you should be able to—and take the responsibility for paying for your rescue, if needed. I like the idea of “back country skiing insurance” as an option, not a requirement, until you have been rescued once. If you have been rescued, then it should be mandatory.
Definitely don’t charge the resorts; as many have mentioned, skiing is already much more expensive than it used to be, and any charges to the resorts will somehow be passed along to skiers, either as higher lift tickets, more expensive food/gift shop purchases, etc. Let those who take the risk foot the bill—but don’t ban the experts from the thrill of back-country skiing.
Sally G | 1 year, 1 month ago
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As others have said, back country skiing is fine if you have the ability and the means — but it’s a matter of personal responsibility. If you need to be rescued, you should have to pay for it yourself. The responsible back country skiers (despite their experience) should get the insurance — which would probably only be obtainable by people with proper training or experience. If some dope goes under a rope and off into the wilderness, he made a choice and should pay for the consequences.
(I remember years ago when my brother in Colorado jumped a rope and skiied down a long hill of beautiful fresh powder. He later said it was a great run, but he was bitten by consequence: when he go to the bottom he found it was a basin with no route out — he had to walk back up the mountain….
Stephen R | 1 year, 1 month ago
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Why do it?
I think that people who go, to the back country to snowmobile, should really think about what they are doing. Not only are they in harm of themselves but also to others in the same vicinity. Another problem that can occur is that they’re far from people who can rescue them when needed. No one wants to hear that their son or daughter is dead so, anything that can be done to prevent deaths, should be done.
RPills | 11 months, 1 week ago
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Bad choices
In my opinion, if a person strays off a known path into the back forrests to find more excitement, they are putting themselves in more danger than is necessary and they should take extra precautions if they choose to do so. Items such as a GPS and flares should be brought at all times to make rescue easier if and when it is needed. I believe that if laws were put in place to force this on people, more people may be inclined to bring such items if they were subject to a fine or some type of punishment.
Brandon | 11 months, 1 week ago
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Backcountry should be allowed
I am not against back-country skiing. However If it is resort property they have the right to enforce their rules.
I agree with one of the other posters that people going back-country skiing should take the proper equipment and need to respect that there is no guarantee that one will be safe doing it and doing it is at your own risk. I would not mandate insurance but one should be aware that not all areas provide search and rescue services and some areas may charge for them.
Stephen Hinkle | 10 months, 3 weeks ago
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