Maine ski resort to charge for 9 rescues
The Associated Press
CARRABASSETT VALLEY — You stray, you pay.
That's the word from Sugarloaf ski resort officials, who plan to charge nine snowboarders for the costs of their rescue from the back side of the mountain in separate incidents last weekend.
Sugarloaf spokesman Ethan Austin tells the Sun Journal of Lewiston that the riders left the ski area's boundaries, and the resort intends to make an example of them. The snowboarders may also lose pass privileges for putting rescuers in danger.
Five snowboarders went out of bounds Friday and were rescued that night. Another four also became lost Sunday and were rescued Monday.
The cost of the rescues is being tabulated by Carrabassett Valley Police, one of five agencies involved in the rescues.
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30 COMMENTS
Really said...
And considering we had local and State agencies involved I trust the money received will be passed on to those agencies to offset the cost of their expenses, and not just money for the Ski Slope
March 4, 2010 at 10:25 AM Report abuse
Nan said...
Really... I suspect that's why they're having the local PD do the tally -- so that all are included. "May" lose their passes?? Hello??? How aobut definitely lose their passes, at least for the remainder of this year? These kids are lucky they're not banned from Sugarloaf for life!
March 4, 2010 at 10:28 AM Report abuse
heyjoe said...
Mummy and Daddy will have to come up with some big bucks!!!
March 4, 2010 at 10:44 AM Report abuse
wollydevil said...
Before i would pay i would want an itemized bill to see how much they padded it. I bet a lawyer could get the whole bill dropped if it went to court.an than the kids could sue sugarload ive all ready gone into detail why sugarloaf would not win. Did you know sugarloaf closed the top of mt. yesterday because you could not see but they had it open during the bad storm.nothing like closing the barn door after the horse has gone out.plus other deatils
March 4, 2010 at 10:46 AM Report abuse
wollydevil said...
Every person in Maine should half to pay a rescue insurance. Say 5 bucks every 5 years include out of staters come into maine too
March 4, 2010 at 10:50 AM Report abuse
ModerateOne said...
I wonder what the chances of Sugarloaf ever collecting this money are? Is this a real attempt to punish these kids, or just a message to others not to do the same thing?
March 4, 2010 at 11:03 AM Report abuse
RobertAT said...
Entitled teens who failed to think before they acted. There should be consequences and reimbursing people is the minimum.
March 4, 2010 at 11:15 AM Report abuse
bdawg said...
I don't have any issue with them charging for the rescue. I don't think they should be able to pull the passes though. The backside has always been open if there is enough snow. They made a mistake and missed the turn back onto the mountain (not hard to do - stay a little too far to the right and you'll never see it)...unless the snowfields and backside were closed - hard to believe that would be the case when the snow was dumping.
March 4, 2010 at 11:20 AM Report abuse
Pilllory said...
I'd say they have a good chance of collecting, and highly doubt the parents will go for a lawyer and sue. Rules are posted at all ski areas, off limits/out of bounds are posted and as I recall there's some disclaimer of responsibility printed on tickets and such about the inherent dangers of the sport and your assumption of said risk. I don't believe they'd win a court case against the mountain corporation. Sounds like time to accept some personal responsibility for these kids.
March 4, 2010 at 11:22 AM Report abuse
heyjoe said...
Hey Nan... If I was these kids parent and had another leg, I would kick their arse's !!!!
March 4, 2010 at 11:54 AM Report abuse
wollydevil said...
what is writhen on the back of a ticket may mean nothing its just a scare tacktic. Pilllory what did sugarloaf do to prevent them from going out of bounds an it should of been closed of the way the weather was.Theres no clear cut trail along the boundary either.
March 4, 2010 at 11:55 AM Report abuse
wollydevil said...
heyjoe you do that you end up in jail
March 4, 2010 at 11:56 AM Report abuse
ModerateOne said...
Years ago, before snowboarding, skiing in the woods and excess air would get your pass pulled. Sitting in the middle of the slope would get the same result. Then snowboarding came along. The very behavior that ski areas prohibited for years was now encouraged. Clearly ski areas encouraged free spirited thinking if it helped them sell tickets. Now, all of a sudden the whole thing blows up and Sugarloaf gets high and mighty. Maybe if it happened just once I could understand Sugarloaf's attitude. But twice in three days? It doesn't pass the smell test.
March 4, 2010 at 12:02 PM Report abuse
august1 said...
Good for the ski resort! Why should they dish out all kinds of money to rescue people that cannot seem to follow the rules!
March 4, 2010 at 12:12 PM Report abuse
august1 said...
heyjoe, do you ever say anything contributing to the story? all I ever read from you are snide comments. little slow on the island this winter?
March 4, 2010 at 12:18 PM Report abuse
Skeeziks said...
Amen. Bad choices need to be paid for.
March 4, 2010 at 12:21 PM Report abuse
david68 said...
I'm a snowboarder and have been for 17 years before that I skied for 18.I feel these kids are getting off pretty easy and they should be made to pay for the rescue efforts. If it were me I'd ban them for life from all the boyne resorts. Also, in some states Colorado for instance you could face some time in jail for skiing out of bonds. As for the backside being closed yesterday well that bummed me out because I was looking forward to riding back there but couldn't and probably won't be able to again unless it's a nice clear day so that people who have no business being back in the first place won't stray off course and threatin to sue the ski area because of there own lack of experience. They lable this area as double black diamond expert only terrain for a reason.
March 4, 2010 at 1:56 PM Report abuse
Controlgirl said...
Off-piste skiing in Europe is not illegal or banned by resorts.
March 4, 2010 at 2:51 PM Report abuse
padman23 said...
What a money making idea....you could have something like travel insurance when you buy your ticket....lots of people will take it just to prevent the cost and you would hardly have to pay it out....a solution as a win for everyone.......
March 4, 2010 at 3:12 PM Report abuse
wollydevil said...
Yes every one that goes out doors should half to half to have rescue insurance. Like fisherman ,snowmobilers,skiers,4 wheelers,hikers ect. charge all of them 5 bucks for 5 years an you get a card to carry even walkers.
March 4, 2010 at 3:27 PM Report abuse
wollydevil said...
It would not cover cars, trucks,snowmobiles,4 wheelers that go thru the ice only covers the people
March 4, 2010 at 3:31 PM Report abuse
Smitty said...
Since they went out of bounds through a closed area they must take responsibility for their actions and pay for the rescue. Our Maine tax dollars are scarce enough and should not take care of those who cannot follow the rules. I don't think they should pull their passes if they pay for the rescue, but perhaps they should also do some community service to earn back their ski privileges.
March 4, 2010 at 3:36 PM Report abuse
wollydevil said...
smitty I may be wrong but the fish an game money comes from License fees hunting, fish, smowmobiles,4 wheelers ect.
March 4, 2010 at 3:45 PM Report abuse
Player said...
The snowfields were closed, with barriers and signs. These little delinquents intentionally went around the barriers and ignored the closed signs. No sympathy here. Too bad they can't prosecute them.
March 4, 2010 at 4:04 PM Report abuse
Rocky4 said...
All these nit wits that get lost, fall through the ice, crash snow machines, etc. need to get a bill from all rescue services....period!
March 4, 2010 at 4:06 PM Report abuse
eWFyZGJpcmQ%3D said...
how many people have to die in these sky area before the law gets on thier butts ?????
March 4, 2010 at 4:08 PM Report abuse
seamus said...
I'd be curious to know where they really got lost. Was it off the "backside" to the south, or did they cut hard right at the bottom and go looking for some fresh tracks in the glades that don't exist (early local name, "The River of Denial"). Pretty easy to get on the wrong side of the ridge if you don't cut left soon enough. Regardless, if they ducked the ropes... sorry fella's but you're busted. Though, if I was their lawyer I'd charge the mountain for all the great publicity my clients brought the resort. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to get this much ink and airtime mentioning, "Sugarloaf," "backside," and "snowfields." What a boon!
March 5, 2010 at 9:11 AM Report abuse
JoeDaddy said...
So does that mean if I do something "negligent" like reach for something on the floor of my car and crash into the side of a Walmart and the police come and help me then I will get a bill from the police dept? or if I do something negligent like fall asleep with a cigarette in my hand and burn my house down and the fire dept has to come "rescue" me then I will get a bill from the fire dept? Isnt that their job? Isnt that what my taxes pay for? and doesnt my $80 lift ticket pay for the ski patrol's job? I'm not saying they shoudlnt be charged....just wondering what the difference is?????
March 5, 2010 at 10:19 AM Report abuse
common_cents said...
I drove through a lawn at the mall, and now they want me to pay for some damage. What the hell is this country coming to when you can't drive your SUV where Obama Motors designed it to go??
March 5, 2010 at 10:35 AM Report abuse
Pilllory said...
Joedaddy-- they involved the local PD and the warden service in the rescue, neither of which are paid by the $80 lift ticket.
March 5, 2010 at 12:13 PM Report abuse