Mountain Safety

Winter Lift Safety for Skiing and Snowboarding

It's important (and part of Your Responsibility Code) to know how to load, ride, and unload all lifts safely. Knowing how to ride the chairlift will make your day more fun and safe.

Not sure how to ride the lift? Ask an Attendant, Ski Patroller, or other Sunlight employee for help. 

Tips for Riding Lifts Safely

• Be familiar with the type of lift you are riding and what type of terrain it will bring you to. 
• Avoid distractions in the lift line. Put down your phone, pay attention to the Lift Operators and Attendants, and stay focused.
• Before loading, remove backpacks and secure loose items. Remove pole straps from wrists and make sure your bindings are correctly fastened.
• Before moving out to load the chair, make sure everyone in your group is ready and the Operator is ready for you.
• Look over your shoulder to watch the chair approach. Turn towards the closest bar on the chair. On our Terecero Lift, that's toward the outside of the chair. On Segundo and Primo, that's toward the inside.
• Sit all the way in the chair, flush with the seat back. Lift your ski tips or nose of your board slighly to avoid your equipment from catching in the snow.
• Be aware of your surroundings while riding the lift. If you drop something, let it fall. You can ask Ski Patrol or the Lift Attendants at the top for help retrieving the item.
• As you approach the top terminal, prepare to unload the lift. Signs leading up to the top will prompt you with instructions for unloading the lift.

Uphill Travel Policy

Sunlight Mountain allows uphill foot and skier traffic along designated routes during the winter operating season, including the pre-season and post-season. However, uphill travel is closed while snowmaking operations are underway and other times as deemed necessary for guest and employee safety.

Please help us keep you and our employees safe and preserve our growing Uphill Community by abiding by our rules and any mountain closures throughout the year.

Sunlight Mountain Uphill Policy

• All guests must possess a current Sunlight Uphill Pass. These passes can be obtained at the Sunlight Ticket Office or on our Online Store.
• Uphill access is closed during snowmaking operations. Pressurized waterlines can be hard to see in the snow, but skis and snowboards are sharp enough to slice through the lines, posing a large safety risk to anyone nearby.
• Never follow directly behind or ski in front of a grooming machine. Keep a minimum of 100 feet away from grooming machines, snowmobiles, and snowmaking equipment.
• Dogs are not allowed on the mountain at any time.
• Use the designated uphill routes. Uphill route maps can be obtained at the Guest Services Office.
• Keep to the side of the trail. Downhill traffic has the right-of-way.
• Be aware that there are no Ski Patrol services before or after normal operating hours.
• Any guests accessing the Sunlight Mountain Resort property outside of normal operating hours acknowledge that activities including, but not limited to, slope grooming, snowmaking, snowmobile traffic, special event setup, and marked and unmarked obstacles pertaining to those activities may exist on any slope at any time.

Be Park SMART!

Whether you're skiing or snowboarding, being Park SMART will reduce your chance of getting hurt.

Park SMART Terrain Park Safety

• Start Small: Work your way up and build your skills.
• Make a Plan: Plan every feature, every time.
• Always Look: Make sure to look up- and down-hill of you before you drop. Remember: our terrain park has two entrances.
• Respect: The features, conditions, and other skiers and riders.
• Take it Easy: Know your limits and land on your feet. 

Other tips:

• On your first visit of the day, always ski or ride through the terrain park to look at the features and conditions. Watch how other, experienced skiers and riders interact with the rails, jibs, and jumps.
• Consider taking a lesson when trying new skills.
• All of our features and jumps have the option to ride around or avoid it, in case you are not comfortable using that feature.
• Once you have used a jump feature in a terrain park, clear out of the landing area quickly to allow room for the next skier or rider.

It's important to remember that we are sharing the slopes with skiers and riders of all different ages, abilities, and sizes. Your awareness of those around you and of the surrounding environment, as well as responsible skiing and riding, are the best ways to reduce the risk of a collision between you and another skier or with an object.

Tips for Avoiding Collisions

• Be Ready: Be ready to slow down and avoid objects or people at any time. You should always be able to control yourself and your speed regardless of conditions. 
• Stay Alert: Stay alert to what's going on around you, especially with other skiers and riders in the area. 
• Plan Ahead: Ease up at blind spots, check uphill when trails merge, slow down at lift and base areas, and give others plenty of room when passing. 

The tragedy of an on-snow collision inspired the development of the #RideAnotherDay campaign. This safety program is now a main pillar of collision safety at ski resorts across America and uses artwork and media to spread awareness about responsible skiing and riding. 

We urge all participants to wear a helmet, but to ski or ride as if they are not wearing one.

Whether you're an experienced rider or just hitting the slopes for the first time, wearing a helmet can make all the difference in enjoying your time on the mountain and getting home safely.

While helmets can help reduce injury in an incident, they don't prevent all injuries, especially from high-speed impacts or collisions with obstacles. Always ski or ride within your ability, stay alert, and follow safety guidelines. Remember: a helmet is just one part of staying safe on the slopes.

Tips for a Safe Visit to Sunlight Mountain Resort

Trying a new sport or visiting a new ski area can be daunting. Visiting this page is already a great first step to ensuring that you make the most of your time at Sunlight Mountain and do it safely!

• Read Your Responsibility Code to ensure that everyone in your group and those skiing and riding around you can enjoy the mountain for years to come.
• Never skied or boarded before? There's no better way to get started than taking a lesson. Our Professional Instructors will get you started on the right foot. 
• Understand trail signage. The colored symbols next to the trail names are key to enjoying the mountain. Their shape and color indicate the difficulty of the trail. While we want you to challenge yourself and have fun, make sure you choose a trail that is within your ability level.

• Before you ride a lift, make sure you can handle the trails at the top. Not every lift will have an easy way down. Not sure? Ask the Attendants before you load.
• When you arrive at Sunlight Mountain Resort, our Lift Ticket Office and Guest Services Office will have paper Trail Maps that you can take with you on the Mountain.
• Not sure what to wear for your day on the slopes? There is a lot of gear out there, so it can be difficult to decide what to wear, but the biggest piece of advice that we can give is to choose function over fashion! Make sure you are choosing gear that will keep you warm and dry while here at Sunlight. Use our How to Dress guide to get started.

Riding off groomed runs exposes you to the danger of tree well and deep snow incidents

Skiing and snowboarding in deep powder is one of the most exciting and appealing parts of our sport. However, if you decide to explore off the groomed runs, it is important to understand the risk of a deep snow immersion incident.

A deep snow or tree well immersion occurs when a skier or rider falls into an area of deep, loose snow and becomes immobilized and trapped under the snow. Breathing becomes difficult as snow fills in around them, especially if they've fallen head-first. Without immediate help, they may suffocate. 

Always ski or ride with a partner within viewing distance of you. Make sure to have Ski Patrol's number handy so you can call for help immediately. You can reach the Sunlight Ski Patrol Dispatch at (970) 947 - 5149.

Below we've included more resources to help you get ready for your time on the slopes at Sunlight Mountain Resort.

Additional Resources

• Sunlight Mountain Resort Safety FAQs
• National Ski Area Association (NSAA): Safety Programs
• National Ski Patrol
• Ski Safety US
• Kids on Lifts: Lift Safety for Kids & Families
• Lids on Kids: Helmet Safety for Kids & Families
• Avalanche Awareness
• Avalanche Hazard Rating & Education
• Tree Well and Snow Immersion Safety
• Terrain Park Safety