SB388-SSA2,4,1212 (o) "Snow sport" means skiing, sledding, tubing, or freestyling.
SB388-SSA2,4,1413 (p) "Tree skiing area" means an area open to skiing, that is not groomed for
14skiing, and that is forested.
SB388-SSA2,4,1615 (q) "Tubing" means sliding down a prepared course on inflatable tubes,
16minibobs, or comparable devices.
SB388-SSA2,4,18 17(2) Conditions and risks of snow sports. For purposes of this section,
18conditions and risks consist of all of the following:
SB388-SSA2,4,1919 (a) Changes in weather or visibility.
SB388-SSA2,4,2120 (b) The presence of surface or subsurface conditions, including any of the
21following:
SB388-SSA2,4,2322 1. Snow, ice, crust, slush, soft spots, holes, grooves, bare spots, cuts, rocks,
23boulders, or tracks from ski area vehicles.
SB388-SSA2,4,2424 2. Forest growth or debris, including stumps, logs, or brush.
SB388-SSA2,5,2
1(c) Ridges, sharp corners, bumps, moguls, valleys, rollers, dips, cliffs, ravines,
2and double fall lines.
SB388-SSA2,5,53 (d) Variations in the difficulty of terrain, surface conditions, or subsurface
4conditions on a single trail or terrain or among trails or terrains that are designated
5the same level of difficulty at the ski area or at another ski area.
SB388-SSA2,5,76 (e) The risk of injury or death on trails and terrains that fall away or drop off
7toward hazards.
SB388-SSA2,5,98 (f) The risk of collision with other participants in snow sports, employees of a
9ski area operator, or ski area infrastructure.
SB388-SSA2,5,1110 (g) Variation in the location, construction, configuration, or steepness of trails
11or terrains.
SB388-SSA2,5,1312 (h) The greater risk of collision, injury, or death in treed areas, in areas where
13competitions are held, and in areas where freestyling is allowed.
SB388-SSA2,5,16 14(3) Duties of ski area operators; signage; notice. (a) Notice on tickets
15required.
Each ski area operator shall print on each ticket or season pass that it
16issues to participants in snow sports the following warning:
SB388-SSA2,5,23 17"WARNING: Under Wisconsin law, each participant in a snow sport assumes
18the risk of injury or death to person or injury to property resulting from the
19conditions and risks that are considered to be inherent in a snow sport, has a number
20of duties that must be met while engaging in a snow sport, and is subject to
21limitations on the ability to recover damages from a ski area operator for injuries or
22death to a person or to property. A complete copy of this law is available for review
23at the main site where tickets to this ski area are sold."
SB388-SSA2,6,324 (b) Signs required; generally. Each ski area operator shall post and maintain
25a sign that is at least 10 square feet in size at or near each of the sites where tickets

1to the ski area are sold, at or near each of the entrances or lift loading areas for areas
2that are open to snow sports, and at or near each area open to sledding or tubing
3which is not served by a lift. The sign shall contain the following warning:
SB388-SSA2,6,11 4"WARNING — ASSUMPTION OF RISKS: Under Wisconsin law, each
5participant in a snow sport is considered to have accepted and to have knowledge of
6the risk of injury or death to person or injury to property that may result. Under
7Wisconsin law, each participant in a snow sport has the duty to take the precautions
8that are necessary to avoid injury or death to person or injury to property. Wisconsin
9law sets forth certain other limitations on the liability of ski area operators for
10injuries or death to person or injury to property. A complete copy of this law is
11available for review at the main site where tickets to this ski area are sold."
SB388-SSA2,6,1412 (c) Copies of law. Each ski area operator shall post and maintain a current copy
13of all of the provisions of this section at the main site where tickets to the ski area
14are sold and shall make a copy of it for any individual upon request.
SB388-SSA2,6,1815 (d) Signs required; skiing or sledding areas. In addition to the sign required
16under par. (b), each ski area operator shall post and maintain a sign that is at least
1710 square feet in size at or near each entrance to a loading area of a lift that serves
18areas open to skiing or sledding. The sign shall contain the following warning:
SB388-SSA2,6,21 19"WARNING — DUTIES OF INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN SKIING OR
20SLEDDING: Under Wisconsin law, each individual engaged in skiing or sledding
21has a duty to do all of the following:
SB388-SSA2,6,2222 1. Obey all posted warnings and signs.
SB388-SSA2,6,2323 2. Keep off of closed trails and out of closed areas.
SB388-SSA2,6,2524 3. Know the range of his or her ability and engage in skiing or sledding within
25that ability.
SB388-SSA2,7,2
14. Assess the difficulty of the trails and terrains that are open to skiing or
2sledding.
SB388-SSA2,7,33 5. Maintain control of his or her speed and direction.
SB388-SSA2,7,44 6. Be able to stop or avoid other individuals or objects.
SB388-SSA2,7,65 7. Yield to other individuals engaged in skiing or sledding who are ahead or who
6are down the slope.
SB388-SSA2,7,87 8. Not stop at a point that will result in the individual obstructing a trail or not
8being visible from above.
SB388-SSA2,7,109 9. Yield to other individuals engaged in skiing or sledding who are uphill when
10starting downhill or when merging onto a trail.
SB388-SSA2,7,1211 10. Be able to safely board, ride, and deboard any lift serving an area open to
12skiing or sledding.
SB388-SSA2,7,1313 11. Board and deboard a lift only at designated sites."
SB388-SSA2,7,1814 (e) Signs required; tubing areas. In addition to the sign required under par. (b),
15each ski area operator shall post and maintain a sign that is at least 10 square feet
16in size at or near each entrance to a loading area of a lift that serves areas open to
17tubing or at or near an entrance of an area open to tubing that is not served by a lift.
18The sign shall contain the following warning:
SB388-SSA2,7,21 19"WARNING — DUTIES OF INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN TUBING: Under
20Wisconsin law, each individual engaged in sledding has a duty to do all of the
21following:
SB388-SSA2,7,2222 1. Obey all posted warnings and signs.
SB388-SSA2,7,2323 2. Keep out of closed areas.
SB388-SSA2,7,2424 3. Know the range of his or her ability and engage in tubing within that ability.
SB388-SSA2,7,2525 4. Assess the difficulty of the terrain that is open to tubing.
SB388-SSA2,8,2
15. Maintain control of the speed and direction of the tube or other device that
2is being used.
SB388-SSA2,8,43 6. Comply with any posted limits imposed on the number of passengers or on
4the amount of weight of the tube or other device while it is being ridden.
SB388-SSA2,8,65 7. Be able to safely board, ride, and deboard any lift serving an area open to
6tubing.
SB388-SSA2,8,77 8. Board and deboard a lift only at designated sites.
SB388-SSA2,8,98 9. Yield to other individuals engaged in tubing who are ahead or who are down
9the the slope.
SB388-SSA2,8,1110 10. Look uphill and yield to oncoming tubes before leaving the bottom of the
11hill at the end of a run.
SB388-SSA2,8,1812 (f) Signs required; trails and terrains. Each ski area operator shall designate
13the trails that are open for skiing in its ski area and shall determine the difficulty
14level of each trail. The ski area operator shall post and maintain a sign at or near
15the beginning of each trail. The sign shall contain the name of the trail and all of the
16applicable wording and emblems specified in this paragraph to describe the difficulty
17level of the trail or terrain. The sign shall be at least 4 square feet in size. Each sign
18shall contain one or more of the following designations that are applicable:
SB388-SSA2,8,1919 1. The word "easier" with an emblem consisting of a green circle.
SB388-SSA2,8,2120 2. The words "difficult" or "more difficult" with an emblem consisting of a blue
21square.
SB388-SSA2,8,2222 3. The words "most difficult" with an emblem consisting of a black diamond.
SB388-SSA2,8,2423 4. The word "expert" or "extreme" with an emblem consisting of 2 black
24diamonds.
SB388-SSA2,9,2
15. The words "freestyling area ahead" with an emblem consisting of an orange
2oval.
SB388-SSA2,9,63 6. The words "tree skiing — caution." The sign shall have an orange
4background or orange lettering with a black or white background and shall contain
5the additional statement: "This back country trail is not groomed or patrolled —
6Never ski here alone."
SB388-SSA2,9,157 (g) Areas open to freestyling; signs and barricades required. A ski area operator
8shall designate an area as an area for freestyling if it contains one or more freestyle
9features. A ski area operator shall construct and maintain a barricade with fencing,
10roping, or similar means at the entrance to such an area. The opening in the
11barricade may not be wider than 30 feet. The ski area operator shall post and
12maintain a sign at or near the entrance of the area that is at least 3 square feet in
13size and that shows the boundaries of the area open to freestyling. The sign shall
14contain emblems consisting of a stop sign and orange oval. The sign shall contain
15all of the following:
SB388-SSA2,9,1616 1. The words "freestyling skills required."
SB388-SSA2,9,1717 2. The words "helmets are recommended" or "consider wearing a helmet."
SB388-SSA2,9,2218 (h) Lifts; signs required. For each lift that is used by individuals engaged in
19skiing and that does not serve any trail that is described under par. (f) as "easier,"
20the ski operator shall post and maintain, at or near the loading area for the lift a sign
21that is at least 10 square feet in size near or at the entrance of the loading area. The
22sign shall contain the following warning:
SB388-SSA2,9,25 23"WARNING: This lift does not serve any trails that are "easier" (marked with
24a green circle emblem). All of the trails served by this lift are "difficult" or "more
25difficult" (marked with a blue square emblem), "most difficult" (marked with a black

1diamond emblem), "expert" or "extreme terrain" (marked with an emblem consisting
2of 2 black diamonds), or "freestyling terrain ahead" (marked with an orange oval)."
SB388-SSA2,10,63 (i) Ski area vehicles; signs required. A ski area operator shall post and maintain
4signs on various trails or lift towers throughout the ski area that are at least 4 square
5feet in size that contain the following statement: "Caution: Ski area vehicles may
6be in operation at any time."
SB388-SSA2,10,107 (j) Variation of signs. 1. In lieu of posting and maintaining each of the separate
8signs required under par. (b) and par. (d) or (e), a ski area operator may post and
9maintain a single sign that is at least 12 square feet in size and that contains all of
10the required warnings.
SB388-SSA2,10,1511 2. A ski area operator may, in a ski area with fewer than 100 acres in use for
12a snow sport vary from the specific wording, size, and location requirements for signs
13specified under this subsection, but any variation may not preclude a reasonably
14prudent participant in a snow sport from finding or understanding the contents of
15the sign.
SB388-SSA2,10,22 16(4) Duties of ski area owners; other duties. (a) Maps. Each ski area operator
17shall post and maintain a map of the trails and terrains in the ski area that are
18designated for any snow sport at all of the sites where tickets to the ski area are sold
19if the ski area has more than 3 trails. The map shall contain the names of each trail
20or terrain and a description of the level of difficulty for each trail as determined by
21the ski area operator under sub. (3) (f). The sign shall be at least 32 square feet in
22size.
SB388-SSA2,11,723 (ag) Markings. Each ski area operator shall mark hydrants, water pipes, and
24any other man-made structures on a ski area that are not readily visible to
25participants in a snow sport under conditions of ordinary visibility from a distance

1of at least 100 feet. A ski area operator may use any type of marker, including a
2wooden or bamboo pole, flag, or sign if the marker is visible from a distance of 100
3feet and if the marker itself does not constitute a serious hazard to participants in
4a snow sport. Variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or as a result of
5slope design, snowmaking, or grooming operations, including roads, catwalks, or
6other terrain modifications, are not man-made structures for the purpose of this
7paragraph.
SB388-SSA2,11,128 (ar) Padding policies. A ski area operator shall adopt a written policy
9determining which man-made ski area infrastructures require protective padding
10and determining the type, height, thickness, and color of the padding. The policy
11shall take into consideration factors including the infrastructure's size and location
12at the ski area and its visibility to the public under conditions of normal visibility.
SB388-SSA2,11,1513 (b) Ski area vehicles. 1. Each ski area operator shall ensure that each ski area
14vehicle that is present on a trail during the hours in which a lift is being operated
15shall display all of the following:
SB388-SSA2,11,1716 a. A flashing light on or near the top of the ski area vehicle whenever the ski
17area vehicle's engine is on.
SB388-SSA2,11,2118 b. If the ski area vehicle is an all-terrain vehicle, a snowmobile, or a similarly
19sized motorized vehicle, in addition to the flashing light as specified in subd. 1., a red
20or orange flag that is at least 40 square inches in size and that is mounted at least
215 feet from the bottom of the tracks or tires.
SB388-SSA2,12,222 2. If any grooming operations take place on a ski trail during hours in which
23a lift is being operated, the ski area operator shall close that trail to the public at the
24top entrance to the trail until the grooming operations are complete on that trail. If
25a groomer is traversing part of a ski area that is not part of a ski trail during hours

1in which a lift is being operated, the ski area operator shall provide an escort for the
2groomer to warn guests of the approaching groomer.
SB388-SSA2,12,73 3. A ski area operator shall have a written policy that specifies the training
4required for anyone to operate a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle within the ski
5area, and shall have a written policy addressing recommended routes for
6snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles to follow when used during the hours in which
7a lift is being operated.
SB388-SSA2,12,98 4. No ski area operator may allow anyone under the age of 18 to operate a
9snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle within the ski area.
SB388-SSA2,12,1110 5. Any employee of a ski area operating a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle
11shall possess a valid driver's license.
SB388-SSA2,12,1412 6. A ski area operator shall prohibit the use of privately owned snowmobiles
13or all-terrain vehicles within the ski area during the hours in which a lift is being
14operated.
SB388-SSA2,12,1615 7. The operator of a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle may not operate the
16vehicle at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable.
SB388-SSA2,12,1917 8. Whenever possible, the person operating a snowmobile or an all-terrain
18vehicle within a ski area during the hours in which a lift is being operated shall give
19skiers the right-of-way.
SB388-SSA2,12,2320 (c) Lift inspections. Annually, a ski area operator shall have all of the lifts
21located in its ski area inspected by a qualified lift inspector to determine whether the
22lift is in compliance with the rules promulgated by the department of safety and
23professional services.
SB388-SSA2,12,2524 (d) Lift inspectors. In order to be a qualified lift inspector for purposes of par.
25(c), an individual shall be either or both of the following:
SB388-SSA2,13,2
11. An individual authorized by the department of safety and professional
2services to make inspections of lifts pursuant to ch. 101.
SB388-SSA2,13,43 2. An individual who has knowledge of the requirements of the rules specified
4in par. (c) and of the design and operation of lifts and who has one of the following:
SB388-SSA2,13,55 a. A degree of engineering from a recognized university.
SB388-SSA2,13,76 b. Experience as an inspector of lifts for an insurance company that has
7provided liability insurance coverage to any ski area.
SB388-SSA2,13,10 8(5) Duties of individuals engaged in snow sports. (a) Safety rules; skiing and
9sledding.
Each individual engaged in skiing or sledding at a ski area has a duty to
10do all the following:
SB388-SSA2,13,1111 1. Obey all posted warnings and signs.
SB388-SSA2,13,1212 2. Keep off of closed trails and out of closed areas.
SB388-SSA2,13,1413 3. Know the range of his or her ability and engage in skiing or sledding within
14that ability.
SB388-SSA2,13,1615 4. Assess the difficulty of the trails and terrains that are open to skiing or
16sledding.
SB388-SSA2,13,1717 5. Maintain control of his or her speed and direction.
SB388-SSA2,13,1918 6. Comply with any posted limits that are imposed on the number of passengers
19or on the amount of weight of the sled or other sledding device while it is being ridden.
SB388-SSA2,13,2020 7. Be able to stop or avoid other individuals or objects.
SB388-SSA2,13,2221 8. Yield to other individuals engaged in skiing or sledding who are ahead or who
22are down the slope.
SB388-SSA2,13,2423 9. Not stop at a point that will result in the individual obstructing a trail or not
24being visible from above.
SB388-SSA2,14,2
110. Yield to other individuals engaged in skiing or sledding who are uphill when
2starting downhill or merging onto a trail.
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