Reckless skiers face stiff penalties

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort officials have announced stiff penalties for out-of-control skiers and snowboarders in the wake of five accidental deaths during the past two winters.Unsafe skiers and snowboarders could lose their ski passes for up to two weeks if ski patrol stops them, according to a report in the Jackson Hole News & Guide. Two violations within a three-year span mean an automatic one-year loss of lift privileges. Repeat offenders could get a lifetime ban from the resort after a third offense.There have always been consequences for unsafe activity on the slopes. The formal nature of the penalties and the fact that the resort is making it public is all that has changed, Jackson Hole’s newspaper reported.Ski patrollers will still have plenty of latitude when imposing penalties for first-time violators or in the event of a collision.