Skier in Jackson Hole arrested for skinning

This issue also has to consider the number of uphill skinners .
Although I understand the argument regarding a solo skinner being not much of an obstacle to avoid..... where do you draw the line?
Solo skinner at side of a green run versus 3 skinners marching up the middle of a busy run?
If you allow one... whats to stop 3 doing it??
How do you police it?...... yet another thing for Patrol to have to be on the look out for?
Recent thread regarding Crystal had 3 skinners, close together kick turning up one of the busiest runs at Crystal on a busy weekend day.
No matter how you feel about public access and capitalistic ski area management.... I'm sure even the die-hard right to earn your turner would agree that is neither safe nor sensible if they are being reasonable.
I think ski areas that have BC bowls adjacent to the resort where access is only practicable through the resort should have a designated skinner allowed zone..... Like the unofficial route up Quicksilver to Silver Basin. Same if they develop Bullion Basin but as to skinners having the right to go anywhere they want to ..... NO.

Opening day at Hyak there were 2 separate groups of skinners, one aprox 5 and the other about 6 or 7. They skinned up the face in a line being an annoyance for those of us trying to cut the fresh cords from the groomer when they were smack in the middle of them. The second group was reaching the top when me and my friend were trying to drop onto the face but we had to divert around the group of them....... When Hyak is open IMO skinners should NOT be going up the face, but rather stick to creek run. Common sense seems would tell these folks not to do this, but some people have the entitlement attitude. I do plenty of hiking the hill myself, but always on off-hrs and would never hike up the face when skiers and boarders are coming down.

Although I understand the argument regarding a solo skinner being not much of an obstacle to avoid..... where do you draw the line?
Solo skinner at side of a green run versus 3 skinners marching up the middle of a busy run?
If you allow one... whats to stop 3 doing it??

This is a great point. If they allow uphill traffic, they are resposible for ensuring safety. If they have to divert resources to accomplish this, it seems fair that they should be financially compensated. You could buy a seasons skinning pass, good for specific corridors managed by the patrol.

The land may retain public ownership, but public use of the land becomes restricted as soon as the resort pays a lease for the right to operate.

The land may retain public ownership, but public use of the land becomes restricted as soon as the resort pays a lease for the right to operate.

Is there a lease? I think there's just a SUP and related administrative&regulatory costs. Those are significant, but they're also not really the same as rent or lease costs.

Solo skinner at side of a green run versus 3 skinners marching up the middle of a busy run?
If you allow one... whats to stop 3 doing it??
How do you police it?...... yet another thing for Patrol to have to be on the look out for?

Three skinners in the middle of a busy run shows bad judgment. The ski patrol would be justified to tell them to move. But bad judgment by a few people doesn't justify banning an activity that is safe when done with good judgment.

I stand by my initial position : The skiers responsibility code is sufficient to handle uphill skinning. Ski patrollers can manage people who behave irresponsibly. It's not necessary to ban uphill skiers.

Perhaps lease is the wrong term, but they pay a fee to operate a for profit business and are responsible for safety enforcement. I agree Lowell, but with the increasing popularity of BC, resorts may look to a consistent, enforceable policy to help avoid incidents such as the public shackling of local icons,

Three skinners in the middle of a busy run shows bad judgment. The ski patrol would be justified to tell them to move. But bad judgment by a few people doesn't justify banning an activity that is safe when done with good judgment.

I stand by my initial position : The skiers responsibility code is sufficient to handle uphill skinning. Ski patrollers can manage people who behave irresponsibly. It's not necessary to ban uphill skiers.

The resorts are becoming more crowded( see Crystal on Sun) and BC skiers more numerous .The status quo is no longer sufficient and the more progressive ski areas ( and BC skiers ) will recognize this and work out a solution that enhances safety while at the same time retaining access rights for skinners along designated paths.