Think Again Before Cutting the Ropes when Backcountry Skiing
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The ski resorts operate on U.S. Forest Service land. Irate taxpayers might contend that the resort can't limit access to public property, but it's not an argument that holds water, according to El Dorado County Search and Rescue
The rules and ordinances that regulate backcountry use in Tahoe's South Shore aren't as clear cut as the ropes that designate a ski area's boundary. Since consequences vary depending on which side of Stateline you're on, it's important to know the terrain, current conditions and county ordinances...
Forest Service concessionaires set their own regulations and can prohibit people from ducking a rope to go out of bounds...
It is a misdemeanor in the California penal code to cut a rope to access a closed ski area trail...
Skiers and riders who are caught in violation of that ordinance can be fined $110 and cited for a misdemeanor, Duffy said. And if they're caught on the backside of Kingsbury — where private property abuts the ski area boundary — they could face trespassing charges, SAR leader Thomas said.
The county typically hands out about six citations per year to people who disobey closures to access the backcountry. The search-and-rescue team will conduct up to 30 rescues per season for people who cut ropes and end up stranded in a canyon or floundering in deep snow, Thomas said...
www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20130209/ARCHIVES01/130209863/
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