Law Enforcement, Ski Official Pan Out-Of-Bounds Fine

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It looks like Vermont legislation to impose a fine on people who deliberately go out of ski resort boundaries, get lost and require rescue isn’t going to pass this year.

That was the consensus on the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee after people ranging from top law enforcement officials to a ski industry leader to the author of a book on backcountry skiing all testified Tuesday the fines would be a bad idea.

Sen. Kevin Mullin, who proposed the measure, pointed to a spate of recent rescues at the Killington-Pico ski area.

But critics said they don’t want to discourage backcountry skiing, saying it’s a big source of growth in the ski industry.

There was broad agreement that backcountry skiers need the right gear and a good plan.

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