Mammoth Mountain Drops Hammer, Increases Penalties For Skiers Caught Ducking Ropes

Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol Manager Dan Flynn appeared in a social media clip today, February 15, 2024, with an important message for skiers and riders.

From now on, th who are caught ducking a rope, or entering closed terrain, will lose their season pass for 30 days, up from 10. Check out the video below:

Entering closed terrain is not allowed at any ski area across the country regardless of the possibility of avalanches, but it's an added danger at a mountain like Mammoth.

As Flynn emotionally explains in the video, a ski patroller's worst nightmare is injuring or killing somebody while on the job.

Along with the increased penalty for one offense, Flynn notes that second time offenders will have their season pass revoked for the remainder of the season, and that criminal charges will be filed.

It's unclear if a similar situation to the one Flynn walks through actually happened, but he cites "blatant disrespect" of their avalanche closures as the catalyst for the increased penalty.

Following ski patrol's guidelines and obeying their closures are easy rules to follow. If you see a rope, don't duck it. If you see a sign that says 'CLOSED', don't enter.

Be smart and stay safe out there, friends.

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