Mountain Safety

Please ski and ride safely on Vail Mountain!

It's no surprise that as a leader in the snowsports industry, Vail is also recognized as a leader in promoting safety on the slopes. For 10 consecutive years, Vail has been recognized by the National Ski Areas Association for exemplary on-mountain safety program, winning the “Best Ski Safety Week” award for the 2008-2009 season. Vail continually communicates its safety initiatives through community outreach, employee education and endorsement, a dedicated mountain safety staff of “Yellow Jackets” and on-mountain activities and demonstrations.

At Vail, the safety of guests and employees – both through education and enforcement – is a top priority every day. Vail encourages you to be proactive about your safety and the safety of those around you. Check out our safety tips to find out how you can do your part to promote safety on the slopes.

Henry & Pork Chop

Vail has teamed up with Henry, the Vail Ski Patrol Avalanche Dog, and Pork Chop, Vail Mountain Safety Pig to help educate skiers and snowboarders about safety on the slopes. They’ve garnered fans of all ages and can regularly be spotted around the mountain spreading the safety message and conducting training exercises with Vail Ski Patrol and Yellow Jackets

Click on your favorite mascot to
download their trading card!

Henry

Pork Chop

Yellow Jackets
CO SKI SAFETY ACT
Terrain Park Safety
Safety Tips
Non-Lift Access

Vail's Award Winning 'Yellow Jacket' Program

For the past ten years, Vail has been recognized by the National Ski Areas Association Safety for exemplary on-mountain safety programs. Our Yellow Jacket team and all employees at Vail are dedicated to mountain safety education and enforcement every day of the season.

The Yellow Jacket program includes:

Educating, enforcing, monitoring and providing positive reinforcement of Your Responsibility Code.
Providing an increased presence and monitoring high-traffic areas.
Increasing guest and employee awareness of safety initiatives through on-mountain and community activities during National Safety Awareness Week and other designated dates throughout the season.
Daily public service announcements and safety tips on TV8.
Promoting the 'Objects are Closer Than They Appear' campaign to highlight the first tenet of Your Responsibility Code: Always stay in control and be able to stop and avoid other people or objects.

Any employee in uniform is available to assist with safety questions and is empowered to suspend or revoke the skiing or riding privileges of anyone demonstrating reckless or inappropriate behavior.

SKI SAFETY: HEADS UP- KNOW THE CODE, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY CODE:
Vail is committed to promoting ski safety. In addition to people using traditional alpine ski equipment, you may be joined on the slopes by snowboarders, telemark skiers or cross-country skiers, skiers with disabilities, skiers with specialized equipment and others. Always show courtesy to others and be aware that there are elements of risk in skiing and snowboarding that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Know your ability level and stay within it. Observe “Your Responsibility Code” listed below and share with other skiers the responsibility for a great skiing experience.

1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.

2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.

4. Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.

5. Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.

6. Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

7. Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

Be advised that Vail Ski Resort does not mark all potential obstacles or hazards. When marked, poles, flags, fencing, signage, padding or other forms of marking are used to inform the skier/rider of the location of a potential obstacle or hazard. These markers are no guarantee of your safety. It is part of your responsibility under the Your Responsibility Code and the Colorado Ski Safety Act to avoid all obstacles and hazards.

Learn more about safety on the mountain at www.nsaa.org.

The Colorado legislature, recognizing risks that are inherent in the sport, has passed the Colorado Ski Safety Act, which provides inherent risks of the sport and relative responsibilities of the skier; and the ski area. You must obey the Act. Under the Act, any person using the facilities of a ski area is considered a skier. A summary of the inherent risks is listed below:

WARNING
Under Colorado law, a skier assumes the risk of any injury to person or property resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing and may not recover from any ski area operator for any injury resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing, including: changing weather conditions; existing and changing snow conditions; bare spots; rocks; stumps; trees; collisions with natural objects, man-made objects, or other skiers; variations in terrain; and the failure of skiers to ski within their own abilities.

The Ski Safety Act was amended in 2004 to include CLIFFS, EXTREME TERRAIN, JUMPS AND FREESTYLE TERRAIN as inherent dangers and risks of the sport.

Skiers and Riders should be advised that a green circle, blue square, or black diamond trail at Vail Ski Resort is not necessarily the same as a green circle, blue square or black diamond trail at other resorts. The system is a relative rating of trails at each resort and does not compare trail difficulty between resorts. Skiers and Riders should begin with the easiest terrain and then move up in difficulty as their ability permits in order to understand the relative rating at Vail.

1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.

2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.

4. Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.

5. Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.

6. Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

7. Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

Learn more about safety on the mountain at www.nsaa.org.

FREESTYLE TERRAIN AREAS are designated with an orange oval and may contain jumps, hits, ramps, banks, fun boxes, jibs, rails, half pipes, quarter pipes, snowcross, bump terrain and other constructed or natural terrain features. Prior to using Freestyle Terrain, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with Freestyle Terrain and obeying all instructions, warnings and signs.

Freestyle skills require maintaining control on the ground and in the air. Use of Freestyle Terrain exposes you to the risk of serious injury or death. Inverted aerials are not recommended. You assume the risk. Freestyle Terrain has designations for size. Start small and work your way up. Designations are relative to this ski area.

Freestyle Terrain

MAKE A PLAN. Every time you use Freestyle Terrain, make a plan for each feature you want to use. Your speed, approach and takeoff will directly affect your maneuver and landing.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. You are responsible for inspecting Freestyle Terrain before initial use and throughout the day. The features vary in size and change constantly due to snow conditions, weather, usage, grooming and time of day. Do not jump blindly. Use a spotter when necessary.

EASY STYLE IT. Always ride or ski in control and within your ability level. Do not attempt Freestyle Terrain unless you have sufficient ability and experience to do so safely. You control the degree of difficulty you will encounter in using Freestyle Terrain, both on the ground and in the air.

RESPECT GETS RESPECT. Respect Freestyle Terrain and others. Only one person on a feature at a time. Wait your turn and call your start. Always clear the landing area quickly. Respect all signs and do not enter Freestyle Terrain or use features when closed.

EXTREME TERRAIN contains cliffs, very steep slopes as well as rocks and other hazards. Skiing or boarding Extreme Terrain is for EXPERTS ONLY.

Learn more about safety on the mountain at www.nsaa.org.

LIFT SAFETY. Under Colorado law, you cannot board a lift unless you have sufficient physical dexterity, ability and knowledge to negotiate or to use such lift safely, or until you have asked for and received information sufficient to enable you to use the lift safely. You may not use a lift or any ski trail when under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES. Vail Resorts strongly discourages the use of electronic devices including cell phones, personal entertainment and communication devices, and any other electronic equipment that utilizes head/ear phones while skiing and snowboarding, or loading and unloading lifts.

CAUTION. Snowcats, snowmobiles and snowmaking may be encountered at any time.

SLOW ZONES. Certain areas (indicated on the map in yellow) are designated as SLOW ZONES. Please observe the posted slow areas by maintaining a speed no faster than the general flow of traffic. Space and speed are especially important in these areas. Fast and aggressive skiing will not be tolerated.

HELMET USE. Vail encourages our guests to educate themselves on the benefits and limitations of winter sports helmets. Regardless of whether or not you choose to wear a helmet, every winter sport participant shares responsibility for his or her safety and for that of others using the ski area facilities.

BACKCOUNTRY WARNING. Pursuant to the Colorado Ski Safety Act, the ski area assumes no responsibility for skiers going beyond the ski area boundary. To access the backcountry, use designated gates only. Areas beyond the ski area boundary are not patrolled or maintained. Avalanches, unmarked obstacles and other natural hazards exist. Be aware: the backcountry avalanche hazard may be extreme. Rescue in the backcountry, if available, is the responsibility of the Summit County Sheriff. It will be costly and may take time.

HIGH-ALTITUDE ENVIRONMENT. Some visitors may experience symptoms associated with Vail's high altitude. Symptoms may include headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, restless sleep, coughing and difficulty in breathing. If symptoms persist or if you have a concern about your health, you should seek medical attention.

Learn more about safety on the mountain at www.nsaa.org.

Non-lift Uphill Access Policy

Vail Associates, Inc. and the United States Forest Service encourage use of public land. Users should be aware that the public lands comprising Vail and Beaver Creek ski areas are under permit to Vail Associates, Inc. (V.A.) by the United States Forest Services (USFS). While enjoying these permitted lands, users must abide by V.A. and USFS’s restrictions and recommendations, including those summarized below.

The following summary of restrictions and recommendations for Uphill Access to Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains is provided for your information and education and is available in all ticket offices. Other restrictions may exist from time to time.

1. Use of Ski Area Facilities
Under Colorado law, any person using any of the facilities of a ski area is considered a skier. Skier’s responsibilities under Colorado law include, but may not be limited to, controlling speed and course at all times and maintaining a proper outlook. Using a ski area for any purpose can be HAZARDOUS and the skier assume all risks.

WARNING

Under Colorado law, a skier assumes the risk of any injury to person or property resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing and may not recover from any ski area operator for any injury resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing including: Changing weather conditions, existing and changing snow conditions; bare spots; rocks; stumps; trees; collision with natural objects, man-made objects or other skiers; variations in terrain; and the failure of skiers to ski within their own abilities.

NOTE:

The Ski Safety Act was amended in 2004 to includes CLIFFS, EXTREME TERRAIN, JUMPS AND FREESTYLE TERRAIN as inherent dangers and risks of the sport.

2. Year-round Mountain Operations
Be aware that roads and trails on Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains may be used for many purposes and that construction and or maintenance activities take place 24 hours per day, on most days. You may encounter vehicles on any road or trail at any time; be very cautious and yield the right-of-way. Additionally, obey all posted warnings and trail closures.

3. Fall Mountain Preparation
The ski area begins operations during the fall to prepare the slopes and trails for opening. Activities may include snowmaking and snowcat operations. Areas in which activities are taking place may be closed from the bottom of Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains; in these cases, a “closed” sign will be placed in the bottom of the closed area to inform those hiking uphill of the closure. When such closures exist, only authorized personnel are permitted in the area. When such closures are in place, you must select an appropriate alternate route.

4. Vehicles
In accordance with a USFS Supervisor’s closure, no vehicles are allowed on Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains unless they have specific authority from VA.

5. Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, Hiking, Etc.
Cross-country skiers, snowshoers and hikers are bound by Colorado Skier Safety Act, as amended, and should abide by Your Responsibility Code.

Skiers must not impede or obstruct ski area operations at any time. When engaged in any of these activities one should:

During the Day:
1. Stay towards the side of the trail.
2. Position yourself so that you are visible from above.
3. Wear brightly colored clothing.
4. Keep dogs on a reasonably short lease.
5. Obey all pertinent signage.

During the Night:
5. Abide by all of the above-described recommendations.
6. Wear reflective materials.
7. Carry a light.
6. Snowmobiles

In accordance with a USFS Supervisor’s closure, snowmobiles are only permitted on Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains when owned or authorized by V.A. Any such snowmobile operators must be qualified, their snowmobile registered and both must comply with pertinent safety requirements. Snowmobile use not authorized by V.A. is strictly prohibited.

7. Sliding Devices
Use of sliding devices, including, but not limited to, sleds, tower pads, plastic sheets and the like are strictly prohibited unless their use is specifically approved by V.A. and conducted in a supervised and designated area.

8. Mountain Bikes
During the winter operating season, the use of mountain bikes on Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains is strictly prohibited.