Those caught could face a criminal trespassing charge and a potential $1,000 fine.
"This is a problem I’ve experienced firsthand," Senate bill sponsor Jim Kastama (D-Puyallup) said in a statement after the bill's passage. "Five people have died going into closed areas in the last 10 years at Crystal Mountain. These areas are closed for a reason, and the people who trespass into them risk not only their own lives but the lives of ski patrollers who follow them to assist or rescue them."
Areas are typically closed off due to the threat of avalanche conditions, both natural and manmade in the form of avalanche control. Kastama, a volunteer ski patroller, said he was aware of more than 500 people who had crossed over into closed areas at his ski area in the last three years and that his legislation mirrors laws in California and other states.
source: www.komonews.com
