Photo: Steamboat Resort
Ducking ropes may not seem like a big deal and in all reality, most people do so without any negative consequences. You get a few turns in mostly fresh snow, make your way to the bottom of the hill, and jump right back on a resort lift as if nothing ever happened. But while the hope is that ducking ropes ends as harmlessly as that scenario, the choice can lead to dangerous, and even life-threatening, circumstances. That’s why resorts can, and will, pull a skier or snowboarder’s pass if they catch them in the act.
One Steamboat skier will likely never duck a rope again after doing so caused an avalanche. Steamboat Ski Resort reported a “human triggered” avalanche on Saturday and then blasted out a message to their guests, reminding skiers and snowboarders to take those boundaries seriously. Coincidentally, the area in which the slide occurred — Christmas Tree Bowl — saw a natural avalanche almost exactly one month ago. That slide was described by a local ski patroller as “the largest slab avalanche we have seen in Steamboat in almost two decades.”
The resort’s message to guests after Saturday’s avalanche outlined some of ducking ropes:
Safety Alert: Today December 28 there was a human triggered slide in Christmas tree bowl that was Self reported by the skier.
This is troubling for a couple of reasons:
1. This terrain is closed and not ready for skiing and riding
2. Significant patrol resources were needed on the scene in order to ensure no other skiers or riders were caught in the slide
3. This means that we had fewer patrollers available for guests on the mountain during this time
4. Tracks leading into the closed area are potentially misleading for skiers and riders who don’t know our terrain and may think it’s OK to ski there.
Closed trails are closed for a reason. When skiers and riders duck ropes they not only put themselves at risk but they also put other skiers and riders, and Patrol at risk. They also delay Patrol from doing the important work necessary to get terrain open for skiing and riding.
Patrol takes these infractions very seriously and skiers and riders who duck ropes to play in closed terrain can/will lose their pass.
Respect all closures, and let’s have a safe season.
