It is a condition of your use of the premises and facilities and your participation in these activities that you assume all risk of personal injury, death or property loss resulting from any cause whatsoever, including negligence, breach of contract, or breach of any duty of care on the part of the ski area operator.
Your legal responsibility as a user of the ski area premises and facilities or participant in activities at the ski area is explained in the following notice, which you will see posted at the ski area.
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Be aware of Slips, Trips and Falls
Footwear plays an important role in reducing the risk of slips, trips and falls. Your footwear should be appropriate for the season, weather conditions and activity. Many types of footwear do not provide good traction, and extra caution should be used when visiting a Snow Valley.
Visiting Snow Valley involves various potential risks, dangers and hazards including but not limited to the following:
- uneven or cracked surfaces;
- changing weather conditions, including frequent thawing and freezing in the winter;
- variations in the terrain or surface including but not limited to ruts, crevasses, holes, rocks, gravel, tree roots and other natural objects;
- encounters with domestic and wild animals including dogs and coyotes;
- ungroomed and unkept grounds, trails and areas;
- failure to act safely or within one’s own ability or to stay within designated areas;
- wet and/or slippery ground and floors;
- negligent first aid;
- ice, snow, and slush in parking lots and on stairs, roads, sidewalks and pathways;
- icy or slippery condition of snow in and around the ski hill, tube park and other winter activity areas;
- loss of balance;
- dim or low lighting;
- negligence of other persons;
- infectious disease contracted through viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi which may be transmitted through direct or indirect contact;
- and NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE OPERATOR and its directors, officers, employees, instructors, agents, representatives, volunteers, independent contractors, subcontractors, sponsors, successors and assigns.
Skiing, snowboarding, and cross country skiing (nordic) involves various risks, dangers and hazards including, but not limited to the following:
- boarding, riding and disembarking ski lifts;
- exposed rock, earth, ice, and other natural objects;
- changing weather conditions;
- collision with lift towers, fences, snow making equipment, snow grooming equipment, snowcats, snowmobiles or other vehicles, equipment or structures;
- avalanches;
- encounters with domestic and wild animals including dogs and coyotes;
- trees, tree wells, tree stumps and forest deadfall;
- collision with other persons;
- the condition of snow or ice on or beneath the surface;
- loss of balance or control; slips, trips and falls;
- variations in the terrain which may create blind spots or areas of reduced visibility;
- accidents during snow school lessons;
- variations in the surface or sub-surface, including changes due to man-made or artificial snow;
- infectious disease contracted through viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi which may be transmitted through direct or indirect contact;
- variable and difficult conditions;
- negligent first aid;
- streams, creeks, and exposed holes in the snow pack above streams or creeks;
- failure to act safely or within one’s own ability or to stay within designated areas;
- cliffs; crevasses;
- negligence of other persons;
- snowcat roads, road-banks or cut-banks;
- and NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE OPERATOR and its directors, officers, employees, instructors, agents, representatives, volunteers, independent contractors, subcontractors, sponsors, successors and assigns.
Ski and snowboard boots and many other types of footwear do not provide good traction, and extra caution should be used when walking.
The ski boot/binding system for alpine skiing may not release during every fall or may release unexpectedly. The ski boot/binding system is no guarantee that the skier will not be injured. The snowboard boot/binding system is not designed or intended to release and will not release under normal circumstances. Given the snowboard boot binding system is a non-release system, the system will not reduce the risk of injury during a fall and will increase the risk of not surviving an avalanche.
There are elements of risk that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Regardless of how you decide to use the slopes, always show courtesy to others. Please adhere to the code listed below and share with others the responsibility for a safe outdoor experience.
- Always stay in control. You must be able to stop, or avoid other people or objects.
- People ahead of you have the right-of-way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
- Do not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
- Before starting downhill or merging onto a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
- If you are involved in or witness a collision/accident you must remain at the scene and identify yourself to the Ski Patrol.
- Always use proper devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
- Observe and obey all posted signs and warnings.
- Keep off closed trails and obey area closures.
- You must not use lifts or terrain if your ability is impaired through the use of alcohol or drugs.
- You must have sufficient physical dexterity, ability, and knowledge to safely load, ride, and unload lifts. If in doubt, ask the lift attendant.