Charging for rescues is a highly controversial practice, and most search and rescue operations flatly state that they’d never ask or expect reimbursement for saving someone’s bacon lest people in real need hesitate to call for help. But the ski area in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is taking a different tack: It’s using the threat of a $500 rescue tab should they ping ski patrol for assistance.
“If you don’t know, don’t go,” ski patrol director John Kohnke told the local paper, Steamboat Today.
The move has the tacit or overt approval of the Forest Service and sheriff’s office, as well as local search and rescue. Unlike some SAR organizations who’ve billed for services after egregiously stupid hijinks forced a rescue, the $500 fee is designed as a preventative warning.
Kohnke said that that patrol handles two or three rescues a week and they tax the area’s limited resources. In one operation during the 2014-15 winter, 12 skiers got cliffed out and had to be evacuated using ropes. It took 14 responding patrollers and they were so exhausted the ski area only had one-third of its patrol force the next day.
The policy is the first of its kind in Colorado, said Melanie Mills, the head of the state’s ski area marketing group.
“I think they’re very serious about it,” Mills said. “I don’t know if we’ll see other ski areas do it, but it’s a hot topic in the industry.”
Photo by Nick Newell
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$500 or more per person. https://www.steamboat.com/the-mountain/safety-and-responsibility/backcountry-access
Rout Co SAR is not in favor of this. This is only on the Steamboat Ski area webpage so it appears to be a bluff. Since a private company cannot charge you for a rescue.
Support No Charge for Rescue: https://www.facebook.com/NoChargeforRescue/
Why can’t a private company charge for a rescue?
New Hampshire recently introduced a “Hike Safe” program that effectively is a flat-fee annual voucher you can buy ($25-$35) that absolves you of paying SAR costs should you throw caution to the wind during your outdoor adventure and the proverbial hits the fan. Revenue from the program goes into state coffers to train SAR personnel and / implement the SAR service when needed.
The program doesn’t necessarily dissuade people from exercising poor judgement, and one could validly argue that it actually encourages people to not think twice about getting in over their heads, but at least it helps offset the state’s SAR costs.
Maybe Steamboat Ski could implement a similar program that would be a happy middle ground for all parties.
It’s the same at the Mt Baker ski area, and very clearly noted on the backcountry gates and in their backcountry policy. Seems fair to me, and likely much better for anyone that need help inbounds…
This is a terrible idea. It very well may keep some inexperienced skiers out of the backcountry, but it is also likely to prevent people from calling for help when they need it. If this is enacted, people may delay the call for help until it is too late. The publicity resulting from serious injury or death at Steamboat would prove more detrimental to the mountain operations than an occasional complimentary rescue.
I’m OK with it, ski areas are for profit operations. Stupidity, lack of awareness and careless disregard should not come at their expense. I see the fine as a shot across the bow, and a warning, and I would be willing to bet that any incident would be handled on a case by case basis. IMO this does nothing to harm SAR organizations.
This isn’t unusual – every ski area that I’ve skied at with backcountry access has had similar policies. All the policies that I’m aware of simply state that if the ski area is asked to participate in the rescue operation (by the victim, the victim’s group, or the victim’s family), the time of the ski patrollers responding will be paid for by the victim or the victim’s family. It sounds like Steamboat just set a minimum fee for action.
A lift ticket purchases the right to expect a rescue within the ski area boundaries – not outside of it.
Listen people, I am a patroller with 28 years experience out east and midwest…expert west skier i am not, however we wear beacons and carry our cell phones…we also ski in places our patroller friends tell us to ski in. we do ski out of bounds when we can, we go freely where we can. Accept the price of going OB or get better friends.