Why Ducking the Ropes is a Gamble You Don’t Want to Take
Skipping the rules and ducking a rope might seem like a harmless shortcut. A few fresh turns, no hassles, and you’re back on the lift as if it never happened. But that simple decision can snowball into something far worse—life-threatening, even. It’s why ski resorts enforce their boundaries with zero tolerance. Get caught, and your pass is gone, no questions asked.
One Steamboat skier learned this the hard way. Ignoring the ropes didn’t just cost them a few harsh words; it triggered an avalanche. On Saturday, Steamboat Ski Resort confirmed a “human-triggered” slide in the Christmas Tree Bowl area—a stark reminder of what happens when the rules are ignored.
To make matters worse, this wasn’t the first sign of trouble. Just a month earlier, the same zone saw a natural avalanche described by a seasoned ski patroller as “the largest slab avalanche in Steamboat in nearly 20 years.”
Ski resort boundaries aren’t just there to ruin your powder day—they’re a line drawn to protect lives. The terrain beyond those ropes isn’t controlled, isn’t patrolled, and doesn’t care about your experience level. Risk it, and you’re gambling with more than just your lift ticket.
The message from Steamboat—and every other resort—is clear: respect the ropes. The mountain always gets the final word.
click to see the movie
The resort’s message to guests after Saturday’s avalanche outlined some of ducking ropes:
Safety Alert: Today December 28 there was a human triggered slide in Christmas tree bowl that was Self reported by the skier.
This is troubling for a couple of reasons:
1. This terrain is closed and not ready for skiing and riding
2. Significant patrol resources were needed on the scene in order to ensure no other skiers or riders were caught in the slide
3. This means that we had fewer patrollers available for guests on the mountain during this time
4. Tracks leading into the closed area are potentially misleading for skiers and riders who don’t know our terrain and may think it’s OK to ski there.
Closed trails are closed for a reason. When skiers and riders duck ropes they not only put themselves at risk but they also put other skiers and riders, and Patrol at risk. They also delay Patrol from doing the important work necessary to get terrain open for skiing and riding.
Patrol takes these infractions very seriously and skiers and riders who duck ropes to play in closed terrain can/will lose their pass.
Respect all closures, and let’s have a safe season.duck the riope
