Bill criminalizing closed-area skiing heads to governor

Published 3:32 pm Friday, April 15, 2011

OLYMPIA — Skiers and snowboarders who venture into restricted areas on Washington’s slopes would face criminal trespassing charges and fines of up to $1,000 under a bill headed to Gov. Chris Gregoire’s desk.

The state Senate on Friday voted 46-2 to approve a measure that would make it a misdemeanor to ski in clearly marked hazard areas at ski resorts. The House approved the bill last week.

The bill’s main sponsor, Sen. Jim Kastama, says restricted areas are restricted for a reason — usually the threat of avalanches.

The Puyallup Democrat, a volunteer ski patroller, says people who trespass into closed areas not only endanger themselves, but also the patrollers and search-and-rescue workers who go in after them.

Critics of the bill say its penalties are too harsh.