Breckenridge Ski Area is cracking down on illegal unlicensed ski lessons. As it stands, the mountain operates on national forest land while the village is part of the town. Since the actual skiing is done on national forest land anyone giving unlicensed ski lessons could be charged with a felony. However, starting in November, such unlicensed lessons will also be made illegal in the town of Breckenridge. What could be the punishment for such a dastardly crime you ask? A hefty fine and even jail time!
So, if I have a friend that comes out and is skiing for the first time, I’m not allowed to give him a lesson?? Is ski patrol going to come up to me ask me for my license for showing my friend how to ski or just how to ski better?? You assume your own risk on the mountain – this seems like more of a money grab
I guess its illegal just in case you take money for the lesson you give.
I think the problem would be if you received money for the lesson
id assume it means you couldnt charge your friend for the lesson… because there is surely no way of restricting someone from freely teaching, otherwise the next step will be parents having to pay someone to teach their kids to ride a bike.
I think it’s more to do with people advertising themselves as Instructors when they’re not licensed to do so. I taught at one the mountains in Vancouver last year and quite often you’d see a couple of regulars teaching different people each week.
It’s hard to say whether they’d advertised themselves as instructors or if it was just a different ‘friend or family’ each week.
In Utah it’s referred to as “theft of services” because you are competing with the embedded ski school on their premises. Even if the resort is operated on public lands, there is generally a lease in place that covers their ability to conduct a private business during that time period each season. If you are an instructor, you have to be very careful about “teaching” outside the ski school, too, even if it is without a fee because you are “depriving the resort from selling those services.” It all seems pretty crazy, but that’s the law.
Oh, and as for the ski patrol, at least in Utah we won’t be the ones coming for you. They call the cops; we’re primarily there to get you off the mountain if you’re hurt.
I’ve been working at resorts for some time now, and this rule is pretty universal. The concern is more about solicitation of private services on ski area property. Teaching your friend on the hill is one thing, but it’s known that some certified instructors will teach lessons under the table for a higher rate than what they’re payed at the resort…which makes perfect sense! I’m curious what they’ll be doing to “crack down” on it.
Power to the pirates!
but wouldn’t that mean they are certified instructors and therefor not a public safety risk?
Well I don’t think it matters if they are certified, I guess the idea is they’re essentially running a business, and its the business that needs a license…?
so you could in theory get a breckenridge business liscence and forest service permit to run your own ski lessons…
I have to say this truly shows how free market America really is.
Ditto
Free Market? Really? If you want to give free market lesson go do it somewhere where you do not rely on someone else’s infrastructure.
They are still buying a ticket to use that infrastructrue so I say it is fair game. It looks to me that the mountains are simply butt hurt about losing profits, and using the lawyers that your lift tickets pay for to screw the little guys.
If it was regulation by the ski resort that you could not offer ski lessons privately that would be okay because it would be what you are describing because it would be the ski resort saying you can not use our infrastructure for those purposes even if you buy a ticket, but this is not the ski mountains. It is government enforcing regulations that limit the ability to engage in free trade, it is totally different.
It’s also a misdemeanor to say the phrases “french fries” and “pizza slice” on the mountain, punishable by 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
I charge 50 Roses an hour
Do those lessons come with happy endings?
Over the Vail resorts monnopoley.
dd this isn’t about Vail resorts, this happens at every mountain. Also Vail does not own the town of Brekenridge
i think legally it does
A couple years ago there were “stings” at heavenly. They would contact people advertising teaching services on craigslist. After taking money they would be ticketed for operating a business without a business license.
Lesson learned here, don’t get caught
I hope you learned that lesson from someone with a license
A few people should get together and offer up free lessons to anyone who wants one. Gather big groups of 10 or so and take over breck. It should be a pass and or “86″ issue not fines and jailtime. People canvasing outside a buisiness dont get fined and goto jail they just get 86ed. Shows the control breck has over its people… a sad day for the strugglin ski bum.
REALLY?????????????????????
I think I’ll poach the parking lot and find a beginner just because.
Power to the Pirates
Easy solution. Dont cut the line of work like to US and A goverment has. InThe last few years the US have made it almost imposible to get a work VIsa. Profesional ski instructors , that have benn working for more than ten year at a resort , have all of a sud un been left with out work. So now there isnt any diversaty in teaching it will only be american certified insturctors. The other solution is for the resort to pay more. I would say at least 50 % of what the clint pays, but no, lets charge 800$ a day lesson aend pay the profesional 100. Off course the is pirate lessons. And more to come