1-1-123.3. Duties of ski area operators; signs for trails; notices to skiers; duties of skiers.

(a) A ski area operator shall post and maintain a sign visible to skiers at or near the beginning of a trail that depicts and explains the degree of difficulty of the trail relative to each individual ski area.

(b) A ski area operator shall post and maintain a sign at or near the loading area of a ski lift that states the relative degree of difficulty of the trails serviced by the lift.

(c) A ski area operator shall print a warning notice on all ski lift tickets and season passes and shall post and maintain a warning sign at or near the ski area's ticket sales building that is no smaller than six (6) square feet in size and states the following:

WARNING. Under Wyoming law, a skier assumes the inherent risks of skiing and is legally responsible for damage, injury or death to person or property that results from the inherent risks of skiing.

(d) A ski area operator shall post and maintain a warning sign at the ski area's ticket sales building that is no smaller than six (6) square feet in size and that notifies the skier of the duties imposed on the skier by this act and the limitations on liability provided in this act.

(e) A ski area operator shall:

(i) Mark or identify on trail maps the ski area boundaries;

(ii) Post a sign notifying the public if a trail or portion thereof is closed at the identified entrance of the trail or portion thereof. A trail without an identified entrance may be closed with ropes or fences.

(f) A ski area operator shall have no duty arising out of the operator's status as a ski area operator to a skier skiing beyond a ski area boundary marked or identified as required by subsection (e) of this section or skiing in an area posted as closed or otherwise fenced or roped off in accordance with subsection (e) of this section.

(g) A ski area operator shall post signs in the ski area or on trail maps warning skiers of encounters with ski area vehicles.

(h) A ski area operator shall equip ski area vehicles with a light and a fluorescent flag mounted at least five (5) feet above the bottom of the vehicle's tracks visible at any time the vehicle is moving on or in the vicinity of a ski trail.

(j) A ski area operator shall annually inspect, operate and maintain ski lifts in accordance with the most current version of the American National Standards Institute B-77.1 aerial tramway standards. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a ski lift shall not be deemed a common carrier.

(k) A ski area operator shall mark hydrants, water pipes and all other man-made structures on slopes and trails which are not visible to skiers under conditions of ordinary visibility from a distance of one hundred (100) feet and shall cover the structures with a shock-absorbent material typically used by ski area operators for the purpose. Any type of marker shall be sufficient under this subsection including but not limited to wooden poles, flags or signs if the marker is visible from a distance of one hundred (100) feet and if the marker itself does not constitute a serious hazard to skiers. As used in this subsection "man-made structures" shall not include variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or as a result of slope design, snowmaking or grooming operations, including but not limited to roads, catwalks and other terrain modifications.

(m) A skier shall have the responsibility to observe all posted information and other signs and warnings posted in accordance with this act and shall be presumed to have seen and understood all signs, warnings and other information posted in accordance with this act.