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Alex Cabrero reporting Next month, some new laws in Park City might bring more trouble to reckless skiers. City attorneys are considering making reckless skiing at Park City Mountain Resort and at Deer Valley a misdemeanor.
For Lindsay Tingey and Jessica Baucom, there's nothing like a day of skiing at Deer Valley. "We got free passes, so that helped," said Baucom.
Skiing for free is always good, but soon, if a new law is passed in Park City, reckless skiing could cost someone a lot.
City attorneys are considering making reckless skiing at the city's two ski resorts a misdemeanor. Deer Valley is one of those resorts. "I personally don't like that idea, just because I think it'll change the vibe on the mountain," said Baucom.
Park City Mountain Resort is the other resort looking at the idea. John Brown, a Park City skier, said, "I think that's stupid. I mean, you pay to come out here to have fun, and by its nature, skiing and snowboarding is a dangerous sport."
But not everyone thinks a reckless skiing law is stupid. "It's a good idea," said Bill Rausch, another Park City skier. "Absolutely. There's so many people on the mountain right now, you have to be cautious and considerate of the other people skiing."
Phyllis Robinson, the spokesperson for the city of Park City, said she wasn't comfortable talking on camera about this issue because nothing has been decided just yet. However, off camera she says if a new law is passed, it's for two reasons. Number one: safety. Number two: the image of the ski resorts here in Park City. But again, chatting with skiers and snowboarders, the reaction to this is mixed.
Tingey said, "It's going to make it less fun. I think it's going to make people nervous that they can't ski how they want to ski."
Rausch said, "I think it would be good to have some teeth other than just pulling their ticket."
Right now, it's up to city attorneys to decide if it's a good idea and then the city council. Paula Fable, spokeswoman for Park City Mountain Resort, said, "If the city does decide to enact some new ordinances, we'll sure enforce them."
Summit County already has its own reckless skiing laws in place at The Canyons Ski Resort. If Park City decides to go forward with its own laws, the city council will most likely get its first look at a draft of the laws in late February.
