Member of the Month

abjectwoe
May, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Pass pulled

profile picture
elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
On monday I was skiing at crystal with two friends and it was a descent 6" pow day. We skied most of the day and near the end of the day we took a long traverse and came up to a closed sign. We skied down along the rope line and decided to duck the rope in search of fresh snow. Keep in mind that this closed gate where the sign was can take you to a completely different area than the rope we were ducking. It's easiest to see on a trail map. Also I have skied Mt. Baker the last 5 years and ducking a rope is generally OK as long as there are no signs on the posts saying, "DO NOT ENTER." At crystal there were none of these signs.

We skied down along the ropeline and a ski patroller caught up to us and asked us for our passes and said they had photo evidence of us ducking the rope. After being "detained" for 2 hours, we finally got to go home. The patrollers were all pretty mean about the whole thing. They explained that they were bombing above, at the King, and that we were in a hazardous area. We were maybe 30 feet from the ropeline, which is next to an open run. Also keep in mind this is the same ski patrol that failed to do good avalanche control, which is why chair 6 was destroyed by an avalanche in 2014.

IKON pass pulled for a month.

Nowhere at crystal does it say that you cannot duck a rope. I have photo evidence of this. The day after, I was at Alpental and it explicitly says that you cannot duck a rope. I have photo evidence of this too.

I know I was in the wrong, but I've never received such harsh consequences. Should I try to combat this or just face the month of a pulled pass?
POLL
Edit Poll
Votes:

Take care when editing a poll; Options should be similar to maintain vote integrity.

More options will be added automatically as you type. You must supply a question and at least two options. No HTML is allowed.

5 years ago
1 16
profile picture
shin-bang
Posts: 4106 - Karma: 7,038
Didn’t read the whole post but automatically voted for you to fight the charges
5 years ago
38 2
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
ahhh a month, that actually sucks dude

what are u gonna do

**This post was edited on Feb 26th 2020 at 6:25:14pm
5 years ago
4 0
profile picture
elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
CalumSKIahhh a month

what are u gonna do


I bought a snoqualmie "half season" pass so I'm good, just might miss out to trips like to Jackson and Big sky
5 years ago
4 0
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
elm.I bought a snoqualmie "half season" pass so I'm good, just might miss out to trips like to Jackson and Big sky


thats dope dude, have fun with that pass tho
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
270on420out
Posts: 7525 - Karma: 51,353
elm.Nowhere at crystal does it say that you cannot duck a rope. I have photo evidence of this.


Gonna have to call bullshit on this one.

https://www.tetongravity.com/story/ski/News-Washington-State-House-Votes-To-Criminalize-Ducking-Ropes-3452625#!

So no you shouldn’t fight them. You could have been slapped with a misdemeanor/1000$ fine/banned from the resort. I’d be pretty stoked on just getting my pass taken for a month.
5 years ago
26 1
profile picture
elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
DIRTYBUBBLEGonna have to call bullshit on this one.

https://www.tetongravity.com/story/ski/News-Washington-State-House-Votes-To-Criminalize-Ducking-Ropes-3452625#!

So no you shouldn’t fight them. You could have been slapped with a misdemeanor/1000$ fine/banned from the resort. I’d be pretty stoked on just getting my pass taken for a month.


If you can find it printed next to a chairlift then yes I totally fucked up, but it wasn't at any of the lifts I've seen. We also asked 3 lifties where it says you can't duck a rope, and they said they didn't know.

There were no DO NOT enter signs at the bamboo sticks between the ropes.
5 years ago
0 16
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
elm.If you can find it printed next to a chairlift then yes I totally fucked up, but it wasn't at any of the lifts I've seen. We also asked 3 lifties where it says you can't duck a rope, and they said they didn't know.

There were no DO NOT enter signs at the bamboo sticks between the ropes.


u did say this though:
We skied most of the day and near the end of the day we took a long traverse and came up to a closed sign.

and by closed sign do you mean a sign that clearly shows that the run is closed?
5 years ago
15 0
profile picture
elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
CalumSKIu did say this though:
We skied most of the day and near the end of the day we took a long traverse and came up to a closed sign.

and by closed sign do you mean a sign that clearly shows that the run is closed?


Yes, but that closed sign gives you access to a different bowl that you cannot access down below, where we dropped in. Because of this, it was unclear whether the area we were going into was closed. From my experience, roped off does not always equal closed.
5 years ago
3 16
profile picture
clorox
Posts: 1728 - Karma: 4,867
My home mountain sometimes "soft closes" trails which is when they have a closed sign but no rope. Never have I heard of it being acceptable to duck ropes.
5 years ago
18 0
profile picture
Sfont87
Posts: 66 - Karma: 154
It’s the patrollers job to keep everyone safe and ducking a rope puts you and others at risk. Not to mention the fact that it’s illegal. So I don’t think there’s a way to get out of this one. On the other hand if there aren’t any consequences to appealing then it can’t hurt to try.
5 years ago
12 0
profile picture
Biffbarf
Posts: 7500 - Karma: 80,077
You don't have a case man. Just take it and learn from it. There's really no reason to duck a rope, don't let freshie fever get to your head.
5 years ago
24 1
profile picture
H_up
Posts: 244 - Karma: 1,982
elm.On monday I was skiing at crystal with two friends and it was a descent 6" pow day. We skied most of the day and near the end of the day we took a long traverse and came up to a closed sign. We skied down along the rope line and decided to duck the rope in search of fresh snow. Keep in mind that this closed gate where the sign was can take you to a completely different area than the rope we were ducking. It's easiest to see on a trail map. Also I have skied Mt. Baker the last 5 years and ducking a rope is generally OK as long as there are no signs on the posts saying, "DO NOT ENTER." At crystal there were none of these signs.

We skied down along the ropeline and a ski patroller caught up to us and asked us for our passes and said they had photo evidence of us ducking the rope. After being "detained" for 2 hours, we finally got to go home. The patrollers were all pretty mean about the whole thing. They explained that they were bombing above, at the King, and that we were in a hazardous area. We were maybe 30 feet from the ropeline, which is next to an open run. Also keep in mind this is the same ski patrol that failed to do good avalanche control, which is why chair 6 was destroyed by an avalanche in 2014.

IKON pass pulled for a month.

Nowhere at crystal does it say that you cannot duck a rope. I have photo evidence of this. The day after, I was at Alpental and it explicitly says that you cannot duck a rope. I have photo evidence of this too.

I know I was in the wrong, but I've never received such harsh consequences. Should I try to combat this or just face the month of a pulled pass?

Sorry dawg but this is all you. It clearly says in a ton of places not to duck the rope. Also how was the chair six avalanche patrols fault?
5 years ago
19 0
profile picture
elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
Holt_upSorry dawg but this is all you. It clearly says in a ton of places not to duck the rope. Also how was the chair six avalanche patrols fault?


I don't know if you fully read it. My point is that it does it does not say anywhere that you can't duck the rope.
5 years ago
1 16
profile picture
r00kie
Posts: 5238 - Karma: 59,605
If a rope is up it is implied that the area is closed. Patrol doesn't put ropes up just cause they think they look nice.
5 years ago
28 0
profile picture
CalumSKI
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,123
elm.Yes, but that closed sign gives you access to a different bowl that you cannot access down below, where we dropped in. Because of this, it was unclear whether the area we were going into was closed. From my experience, roped off does not always equal closed.

but u said that there was literally a closed SIGN
5 years ago
12 0
profile picture
TheMoostafian
Posts: 4504 - Karma: 9,443
I know what you mean about Baker, there’s a rope right at the top of chair 6 that is almost always okay to duck, but those ropes have signs that say, “unmarked cliffs” and it’s pretty clear that you can duck them at your own risk. If you ducked a rope with a closed sign, I’d say you’re probably at fault.
5 years ago
14 0
profile picture
ShadowXVX
Posts: 216 - Karma: 1,027
elm.Yes, but that closed sign gives you access to a different bowl that you cannot access down below, where we dropped in. Because of this, it was unclear whether the area we were going into was closed. From my experience, roped off does not always equal closed.


Not that this will help you at all, but at Snowbird which is where I do most of my skiing, there are closed area ropes and cliff area ropes. Ducking closed area ropes is not allowed but ducking cliff area ropes is allowed. In either case, there will be multiple signs either saying 'closed' or 'cliff area' along the length of rope.
5 years ago
5 0
profile picture
SoAnG
Posts: 386 - Karma: 388
Be a man and hold yourself accountable. You took the chance ducking the rope knowing there can be consequences as you stated.
5 years ago
7 0
profile picture
elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
ShadowXVXNot that this will help you at all, but at Snowbird which is where I do most of my skiing, there are closed area ropes and cliff area ropes. Ducking closed area ropes is not allowed but ducking cliff area ropes is allowed. In either case, there will be multiple signs either saying 'closed' or 'cliff area' along the length of rope.

This is the entire argument. There were no signs saying closed
5 years ago
1 7
profile picture
a_burger
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 21,143
Lmao ducking a rope is universally bad. that’s like arguing it’s ok you stole something because the store didn’t have a no shoplifting sign. If you can’t get to something that has a rope above it without uphill travel or ducking the rope your not supposed to be there.
5 years ago
19 0
profile picture
Sfont87
Posts: 66 - Karma: 154
elm.I don't know if you fully read it. My point is that it does it does not say anywhere that you can't duck the rope.

It’s kind of implied tho
5 years ago
13 0
profile picture
MXmx
Posts: 345 - Karma: -155
Id just play stupid and try to get it back. Don’t be aggressive or combative.

At least it wasn’t pulled a week or two later as it would be the end of the season.
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Darc
Posts: 138 - Karma: 670
OP is the reason Mc Donalds had to put "caution hot" on a fresh cup of coffee
5 years ago
31 0
profile picture
Dan-Man
Posts: 7490 - Karma: 3,631
Sounds IKONic.
5 years ago
5 0
profile picture
Twinjibber77
Posts: 6239 - Karma: 2,355
First instinct: don't get caught

Second instinct: that's very irresponsible of you to do

Vote: fight it

If you really want to get your shit back, you should write a formal apology letter (make it an attached pdf) and submit that to the powers that be, probably Crystal and Ikon? See what that gets you. FYI: the second you roll out this kinda argument to management though (about the lack of closed sign), you're fucked, so just apologize and take an avy class or do something to support patrol.

Pretty sure this is gonna be attached to your Ikon account forever though, so that also sucks. Someone in here can confirm that.
5 years ago
9 1
profile picture
Chunderface
Posts: 2565 - Karma: 10,046
Month suspension is fucking harsh. But just FYI, a law, regulation, or rule does not need to be posted to be in effect. There are no signs anywhere explaining any law or rule in day to day life, but they are all still in force and you are subject to them regardless.
5 years ago
13 0
profile picture
skierman_jack
Posts: 1671 - Karma: 17,558
That’s really really harsh. As much as it seems you should fight it you don’t have a single stick to shake here. You broke resort rules and laws. Still sucks tho buddy
5 years ago
5 0
profile picture
MXmx
Posts: 345 - Karma: -155
Seems quite harsh, do you have any previous encounters with ski patrol?

In California I see people doing this and other bad things (mainly snowboarders) without ski patrol saying anything.

Act dumb, be nice and say you will never do that again.

If you’ve never had issues with ski patrol, I think the mountain mall cop was having a power trip.
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
CT_CREW
Posts: 675 - Karma: 3,568
Read the fine print on your Ikon Pass, bet it says something about obeying all signs, closures etc. of included resorts. Bet Crystal also has plenty of fine print explaining their rules, closures etc. Rope lines are closures, unless there is an open gate/marked entry point. Ducking ropes/closures is against the law in most western states, I would not fight this one.
5 years ago
8 0
profile picture
50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,551
elm.From my experience, roped off does not always equal closed.

A solid continuous rope up means stay out. I don’t see how this can interpreted anyway else.
5 years ago
9 1
profile picture
backyardcracker
Posts: 349 - Karma: 1,203
just don't duck ropes, that's unrealistic of them to pull your pass for a fucking month, but you also can't blame them for being upset with you for going in a roped off area
5 years ago
3 1
profile picture
freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,056
OP the signs and ropes at baker are different as they outline the "extreme danger zones' and are clearly marked as such like every 100ft. You don't have a case here and im sure the month suspension is probably because of the attitude you gave him, not the fact your ducked a rope. Patrol wants to keep people safe. They get it, people want to ski pow but still need to follow rules. It's not like they want to just go around pulling passes.. you obviously left out details of your story here about the actual interaction with patrol just to get internet points.
5 years ago
11 0
profile picture
NvR_Forgetti
Posts: 74 - Karma: 207
elm.Yes, but that closed sign gives you access to a different bowl that you cannot access down below, where we dropped in. Because of this, it was unclear whether the area we were going into was closed. From my experience, roped off does not always equal closed.


If there is a closed sign and a rope I think it's safe to assume that it is closed.
5 years ago
8 0
profile picture
NvR_Forgetti
Posts: 74 - Karma: 207
elm.I don't know if you fully read it. My point is that it does it does not say anywhere that you can't duck the rope.


I can 100% say that if there is a closed sign and a rope at any resort that area is closed and you are not allowed to cross that rope
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
You sounds like a Texan that’s trying to become an avy statistic. Do what you did in some states and you leave with a cop and a fine.
5 years ago
6 0
profile picture
OregonDead
Posts: 7080 - Karma: 26,674
I'd go talk to the manager and apologize and try to get my pass back earlier. Whoever the big chief is up at Crystal. Hopefully they are not to big to have someone that can make independent decisions. I'd say something like how you now are more educated about the situation and you promise that it will never happen again. I have heard of this working at other mountains.

It makes sense that a mountain that bombs for avy control will get a lot more excited about this sort of thing because of all the liability etc even if it doesn't seem rational at all. Meadows probably would have pulled your pass for the rest of the season
5 years ago
4 0
profile picture
Jpurd
Posts: 3196 - Karma: 3,555
You ducked a rope at a ski resort. Tough shit. Usually, a rope is up for a reason. I don't think most ski patrols keep trails closed just because they want to ruin someone's day.

Also, who cares if its 30 feet from an open trail. A lot can change in 30 feet.
5 years ago
10 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 52646 - Karma: 174,894
You got caught fucking a rope on a pow day, ski patrol was bombing, and you're bad that they weren't as friendly as they couod have been and taking a shot at them about not being good enough at avy control?

I get your bummed on losing the pass but fuxk dude. Ducking ropes can get your oass pulled at pretty much every mountain in the US. That isn't some weird thing that only a few places do. Especially out west on a pow day. I've ducked ropes before shit happens, but you know what you're getting into when you're crossing that line.

Accept that you fucked up, be stoked it's a month and not the season, and make better choices next time. It sucks but it sounds like you wouldn't have learned anything from them just talking to tou about the dangers and why closed runs are closed. Honestly doesn't sound like you care a ton now even.

Patrollers have a lot of shit to deal with. Also being first responders to finding and recovering/cleaning up bodies from people ducking closed terrain. Maybe it wasn't that deep, wasn't that steep, maybe it could have been open. At the end if the day it's their call and you gotta roll woth that. If they open it and you die thats in them. If they close it and you die they legally did theyir job but they still have to deal with that.

Be smart man.
5 years ago
12 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 52646 - Karma: 174,894
freeskibum82OP the signs and ropes at baker are different as they outline the "extreme danger zones' and are clearly marked as such like every 100ft. You don't have a case here and im sure the month suspension is probably because of the attitude you gave him, not the fact your ducked a rope. Patrol wants to keep people safe. They get it, people want to ski pow but still need to follow rules. It's not like they want to just go around pulling passes.. you obviously left out details of your story here about the actual interaction with patrol just to get internet points.


Yeah. I would guess this. Interactions can go either way. Sometimes somebody is cool and doesn't care, sometimes they do. It's still the rule. A lot of times people don't get their pass pulled that could because they appologize are cool. I don't know what happened, but Ive personaly watched plenty of people be total assholes in these situations and really can't blame patrol for throwing the book at them.
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
TRVP_ANGEL
Posts: 12713 - Karma: 120,229
"They explained that they were bombing above, at the King, and that we were in a hazardous area. "

The mental gymnastics required to still think you were in the right and creating a thread thinking everyone would be on your side.


a few months ago a group were skiing up a ridge that patrollers were bombing above them for avy at whistler, everyones pass pulled for the entire season. You're lucky that it was only one month
5 years ago
11 0
profile picture
H_up
Posts: 244 - Karma: 1,982
TRVP_ANGEL"They explained that they were bombing above, at the King, and that we were in a hazardous area. "

The mental gymnastics required to still think you were in the right and creating a thread thinking everyone would be on your side.


a few months ago a group were skiing up a ridge that patrollers were bombing above them for avy at whistler, everyones pass pulled for the entire season. You're lucky that it was only one month


Facts. Patrol goes every to make sure idiots don’t die everyday in avalanches and ducking ropes makes their lives even harder

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2020 at 8:36:13pm
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
PeppermillReno
Posts: 4884 - Karma: -717
Sorry you got the book thrown at you. They aren’t giving you your shit back. It’s a rope don’t be a moron you know you can’t duck it.


Next time if you break rules don’t be a little bitch and ski away from the patroller to your car and gtfo. Being with pals you can probably just dip to the lodge and let them get caught.
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
teamdummy
Posts: 1189 - Karma: 2,607
Saw this beautiful girl walking in the woods. She wasn’t wearing a “raping me is illegal” sign. So... you know.....I went ahead and........


sorry, extreme example. But OP’s argument is asinine.
5 years ago
2 4
profile picture
HypeBeast
Posts: 10097 - Karma: 76,786
DarcOP is the reason Mc Donalds had to put "caution hot" on a fresh cup of coffee

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 This got me good.

Op first of all ur stoopid. If it's a continuous rope attached to a closed sign, it's closed. Unless you're mentally retarded it's pretty easy to understand this concept.

Second, you deserve to get your pass pulled. For a month? Probably places like to set examples with punitive charges like this to deter similar behavior. Imagine if you only got your pass pulled for a few days or a week for ducking ropes for chest deep pow- people would do this shit all the time and skiing fatality rate would certainly go up.

Judging by your opinion of ski patrol I'm speculating that you were a little cunt and they doubled their punishment. Your only option for "fighting" which probably won't work anyway is to write a letter and deliver it in person to a resort manager or better yet, ski patrol. Be sincere in your apology. If you said anything negative, include that too. Explain that you read up on the subject of ducking ropes and spoke with a lot of people and are now aware of how serious the gravity of the situation. You could have died. Thank them for looking out for your safety. Thank them for getting up 4 hours before you even wake to do safety management on the mountain, maybe even before sunrise. Feel free to describe yourself as irresponsible and endangering not only yourself, but other skiers below and also ski patrol. Call it a poor momentary lapse in judgment.
5 years ago
5 0
profile picture
GrandThings
Posts: 3322 - Karma: 34,358
DarcOP is the reason Mc Donalds had to put "caution hot" on a fresh cup of coffee


I totally agree that our society (Americans anyway) have a sue-happy culture.

But everyone should look up the case of the McDonalds coffee. I agree that it sounds ridiculous but that lady got absolutely FUCKED UP by that coffee (i.e 3rd degree burns on her legs, and fused her vagina together.....yeah)

She ended up not even getting that much money, McD's still refused to pay her excess medical bills. She died a few years later after being permanently disabled and the settlement proceedings took too much out of her. Fucking crazy story.
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
hi_vis360
Posts: 5339 - Karma: 55,476
teamdummySaw this beautiful girl walking in the woods. She wasn’t wearing a “raping me is illegal” sign. So... you know.....I went ahead and........


sorry, extreme example. But OP’s argument is asinine.


Comments like this are the reason why lady gabber exists
5 years ago
6 0
profile picture
HypeBeast
Posts: 10097 - Karma: 76,786
GrandThingsI totally agree that our society (Americans anyway) have a sue-happy culture.

But everyone should look up the case of the McDonalds coffee. I agree that it sounds ridiculous but that lady got absolutely FUCKED UP by that coffee (i.e 3rd degree burns on her legs, and fused her vagina together.....yeah)

She ended up not even getting that much money, McD's still refused to pay her excess medical bills. She died a few years later after being permanently disabled and the settlement proceedings took too much out of her. Fucking crazy story.

Interesting read. Thanks for the rec. I checked out the whole wiki page on it. It said she died in 2004 at the age 91 though. Also interesting is that other establishments per wiki serve as hot or hotter and also Mcdonalds still serves at same temperature but just with a bigger warning and improved packaging.

I will say though that 190F is not crazy high considering water boils first before brewing so it's much hotter if you brew at home. Also think about tea that's served just after boiling so probably about 200-210F.

Regardless water can fuck people up and does. I'm surprised ramen noodles haven't been sued yet. That shit is hot and it sticks. Causes so many burns every year
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
backwoodbandit
Posts: 11 - Karma: 69
Patroller here. 9/10 if an area with snow has a closed rope theres either avy or cat work going on. Most resorts follow the same policy when it comes to closed trails if you have to duck a rope to get in you 100% can't ski it and will get your pass pulled. If theres no rope to duck under you can ski the area, even with a closed sign, but you're on your own if you get stuck. Every trail has to be skied each morning and most times we won't close them unless theres 0 way down. Hate to be a dick but we have enough going on during the day that we don't have time to be rescuing people who can't follow the rules. Just save the hassle and possible thicc fine and wait till the area opens.
5 years ago
4 0
profile picture
ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,209
Just two days ago a groomer cat got caught in a slide here and fortunately the driver was okay, but if it was some skier who had ducked the rope the same might not be said. If for any reason, at least for your own safety respect the rules
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
NateDude
Posts: 186 - Karma: 1,288
A dude literally just died on hood because he ducked a rope that also had no signs and rode into an open creek. They found the body 3 days later.

The ropes aren't there to protect ski patrol's secret pow stash...
5 years ago
3 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 0:36AM