March 9, 2011 Take Responsibility For Your Actions

So essentially the ski area is having a hissy fit over a client not wanting to make a voluntary contribution?

The hours and compensation are issues for the ski area to work out internally and if part of the problem is a result of the patrol being pushed beyond their limits, then ski area management should consider a review of labor policies...

If you read the blog post and the follow up one it does not appear to me that the real focus is about the money. Money was mentioned, but the real message, is making decisions, responsible decisions for yourself. Not Skiing alone, under a rope, out of bounds late before dark, no supplies. All of that seemed to be the message and focus to me.
It appears that the ones who are shaking the rakes overhead and burning effigies are the ones who are provoked as I am on the issue.
Marcus Prices stupidity and poor judgment is one thing. But I say a majority have been provoked more by Mr. Price's decision to go back on his WORD.
In hindsight, maybe Crystal should have never mentioned that he walked on a tab, but people like Marcus Price are the type who line up attorneys and file defamation of character suits against the ski patrol and flat out ruin it for everyone.

I have no affiliation with Crystal Patrol, but do appreciate that you brought this back up T. Eastman. Mr Price deserves every bit of attention he gets for placing others at risk to save his no good ass and walking out on a paltry tab!

This Price guy made a careless decision, one that could have resulted in injury or worse for him and others. But for SAR to use duress (pay or we don't come get you) as a form of recovering some additional costs is wrong and possibly illegal. Of course he's going to say he'll pay for the resuce, he's in trouble, likely scared! In bound resort rules typically state that you can lose your ticket or pass if you duck the rope...there's the recourse, Crystal Mountain.

Karma's a b*tch and it will come back around and bite him in the ass more than likely, but to hang this guy in effigy over not paying for something he promised when he was in a state of fear is not right. Ducking the rope, and having no idea where you are, and putting the lives of the SAR team in jeopardy is the real story.

Yeah they should have brought him a stuffed teddy bear to divert his fears. Nobody was taking advantage of him; it's not like he was pinned against the wall by the mob.

We all make mistakes in life and some of them are more costly than others. I must be old school where your word actually meant something, even if it means paying off in a payment plan.

assuming the crystal blog is credible, just telling' you Joe, fugetaboutit ~ don't you know old school's for gapers? WORD. Ha!

Charging for "out of area" rescue is pretty standard practice.

The State legislature is weighing in on this issue as well:

House OKs bill making closed-area skiing a crime
OLYMPIA, Wash. —
The Washington House approved a stack of bills on Wednesday morning, including one making it a misdemeanor to ski in clearly marked closed hazard areas at ski resorts.

The measure received contentious debate within both parties.

Supporters argued that a criminal trespassing charge and a potential $1,000 fine would help deter behavior that causes avalanches and endanger the lives of ski patrol and search-and-rescue workers.

"This is a lot more than somebody simply skiing past a sign," said Rep. Chris Hurst, D-Enumclaw. "When you have volunteers from the neighborhood that are sometimes spending days to find someone, the lives of the people doing these operations are far more valuable than a misdemeanor crime."
...

full article here:
seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews...e1stldwritethru.html