cam yarder Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Heads up: it will soon be illegal to ski at closed ski areas http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202011/5186-S.SL.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaisedByPikas Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Is a closed area the same as an area that's not operating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley81 Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 To me it reads that there has to be a sign that says area closed. No sign no closure. I would think you would need to rope the area off as well, or you could claim that you came in to the are from a non-signed location. Every law has a loophole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wetslide Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 haha bravo Riley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaredSilly Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Previous discussion ... http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/999961/1000_fine_for_out_of_bounds_sk#Post999961 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 (edited) I don't think this is as crazy as some may drum up here. The newly passed law simply states (bold emphasis added by me): NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 79A.45 RCW to read as follows: A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if the person knowingly skis in an area or on a ski trail, owned or controlled by a ski area operator, that is closed to the public and that has signs posted indicating the closure. Passed by the Senate April 15, 2011. Passed by the House April 6, 2011. Approved by the Governor May 5, 2011. Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 6, 2011. So, the three scenarios that I can see are: 1. Dude is snowboarding all day inbounds, then ducks a rope into a closed area and triggers a slide that sweeps down out of the closed area and onto a cat track being used by other riders. He's guilty as sin and gets charged with this infraction. 2. Someone wants to ski out of bounds from a ski area, but the ski area doesn't want the public to exit from that location for some reason. This is done by simply setting the closed boundary signage back within the permitted area, forcing a violator to cross a closed area to leave the permitted area. Jackson Hole did this almost everywhere before dropping the ropes in 1999. 3. Dude skis into a closed area within a ski area from out of bounds. This has actually happened to me a couple of times doing traverses in California that ended at a ski area parking lot. The crux is whether or not I could have knowingly entered a closed area. I got a away with it once, and simply got a warning the second time when I explained why I wasn't aware. In Alpental's case, the commonly used track to Source Lake IS HAZARDOUS. I'm talking about the track that starts from the last parking lot, by the water tank, that runs along the west side of the valley. Its within the ski area permitted boundary, and it runs through numerous slide paths that Alpental Ski Patrol regularly chucks bombs on. They are understandably nervous that one of these days someone skinning uphill is going to be taken out by a slide that they triggered. This law now means that when the Alpental Ski Patrol places a closed sign at the end of the trail in the upper lot, even the non-lift ticket public will have consequences for ducking around the sign/rope. I won't be surprised if a Sheriff is there the first few times to educate the public and make a point either. Again, I don't think this is such a big deal. Alpental's concern is understandable and justified. The less used summer trail route on the east side of the valley isn't bad - it just doesn't see the same traffic, doesn't start from an obvious parking lot point, and therefore users gravitate to the west side. Both routes travel through significant avalanche paths, so if Patrol is chucking bombs on one side of the valley you may consider not wanting to expose yourself to natural activity on the other. Just my two cents. Edited July 8, 2011 by chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 There is a sign in the parking lot in the gap below the Phantom Slide runnout that says, "No Sledding or Snow Play" I wonder if the definition of, "Snow Play," includes backcountry skiing, or skiing without a lift ticket. Skiing inbounds with a lift ticket is a real sport ya know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra_Commander Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Illegal skiing exhibit A: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamstress Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 White Pass had a lot of issues with people skiing in closed areas. I am quite certain they were pushing for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevino Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 No, White Pass had a problem with people skiing and getting lost out of bounds. Very different to what this bill is addressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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