New Hampshire § 225-A-23 - Section 225-A:23 Responsibilities of the Ski Area Operator.

§ 225-A-23. Section 225-A:23 Responsibilities of the Ski Area Operator.

It shall be the responsibility of the operator to maintain the following signs and designations: I. General Designations. The following color code is hereby established: (a) Green circle: On area's easiest trails and slopes. (b) Black diamond: On area's most difficult trails and slopes. (c) Blue square: On area's trails and slopes that fall between the green circle and black diamond designation. (d) Yellow triangle with red exclamation point inside with a red band around the triangle: Extrahazardous. (e) Border around a black figure in the shape of a skier inside with a band running diagonally across the sign with the word "closed" beneath the emblem: Trail or slope closed. (f) Orange oval: On area's designated freestyle terrain without respect to its degree of difficulty. II. Base Area; Information to Skiers and Passengers. (a) A trail board shall be maintained at a prominent location listing the ski area's network of ski trails, slopes, tubing terrain, and designated freestyle terrain in accordance with the aforementioned color code and containing a key to the code in accordance with the above designations; said trail board shall further designate which trails, slopes, and snow tube terrain are open or closed. (b) The ski area operator shall warn skiers and passengers by use of the trail board, if applicable, that snow grooming or snow making operations are routinely in progress on the slopes and trails serviced by each tramway. (c) A map shall be available at all ski areas to all skiers and passengers indicating the system of ski trails, slopes, tubing terrain, and designated freestyle terrain in accordance with the color code in paragraph I. III. Ski Trails and Slopes; Information and Warning to Skiers and Other Persons. (a) The operator shall mark the beginning of each alpine and nordic ski trail or slope with the appropriate symbol for that particular trail's or slope's degree of difficulty in accordance with RSA 225-A:23, I. (b) The beginning of each alpine ski trail or slope is defined as the highest point of the trail or slope. Lower trail junctions and intersections may be marked with a degree of difficulty symbol. (c) The operator shall mark the beginning of, and designated access points to, each alpine trail or slope that is closed with a sign in accordance with RSA 225-A:23, I(e). For purposes of this subparagraph, "designated access points" means the beginning of a trail, slope, or any point where an open trail crosses or intersects the closed trail as shown on the ski area's trail board and trail map. (d) The operator shall mark the beginning of and designated access points to terrain with the appropriate symbol in accordance with RSA 225-A:23, I(f), which sign shall warn the skier that the use of the terrain is at the skier's own risk. Further, a sign shall be placed at each lift depicting the symbols in RSA 225-A:23, I(a)-(f) describing the trail or slope that the skier may encounter by utilizing such lift. IV. Nordic Ski Jumps. The operator shall provide a sign in a prominent location at or near the nordic ski jump facility, which sign shall warn the ski jumper that the use of the nordic ski jump is entirely at the ski jumper's own risk. Further, the ski area operator shall be responsible for the design, construction, and structural maintenance of all nordic ski jumps.