Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog
New Laws for Skiers in North Carolina
North Carolina is a popular ski destination, with many ski resorts for snow sports. Some favorite winter activities include downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, sledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Participating in winter sports is fun, but there are some dangers. Collisions and falls can occur and can result in injuries. New laws are in place that impact skiers. Here is what you need to know about the latest winter sports laws.
Winter Sport Safety Law
North Carolina Senate Bill 648 is legislation that updates the winter sports safety law, also known as Chapter 99C, Actions Relating to Winter Sports Safety and Accidents. Some of the highlights of the law are:
Collisions – Collisions on the slopes are somewhat common occurrences. The law now makes it a Class 1 Misdemeanor to leave the scene of a ski accident. All parties involved in a collision must remain on the scene to provide their personal information to the other party, or to the ski patrol or person acting on behalf of the resort. The only exemption is if you need to leave the scene in order to seek immediate medical care for an injured person.
Ski Pass Fraud – Ski passes provide access to specific slopes or areas designated for winter sports. The misuse of a ski lift ticket or season pass is illegal, and a person can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor. This includes any type of fraud such as using another person’s pass, skiing without a pass, and skiing in unauthorized areas. In addition to criminal charges, a ski resort may sue a person to recover the value of the pass.
Parental Supervision Required – The law requires all minors under the age of 14 to be supervised by a parent or guardian while participating in winter sports. A youngster is not allowed to ski, tube, or sled unless they are accompanied by a parent.
Negligence – A skier or participant in winter sports must stay on the trails and within the areas designated for winter sports by the resort. A person who fails to follow the rules violates their duties and is therefore considered negligent if an accident occurs. A skier must follow the accepted rules, including maintaining proper speed and control, yielding to downhill skiers, and obeying all the regulations and warnings, among other things.
What Places Does the Law Cover?
There are six major ski resorts located in North Carolina. The law applies to all ski resorts, including Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, Beech Mountain Resort, Appalachian Ski Mountain, Hatley Pointe, Sapphire Valley Ski Area, and Cataloochee Ski Area. The law went into effect on October 1, 2026. People who participate in winter sports at ski areas should take time to review the details of the law before they go out on the slopes. The laws apply to all who take part in winter sports at ski resorts, whether they reside in North Carolina or elsewhere.
A Class 1 misdemeanor is a serious offense. If convicted, you will have to pay fines and could even face jail time in some circumstances. In addition, you will also have a criminal record. If you have been charged with a crime, we can help. Call us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to speak with our experienced criminal defense attorneys.
The criminal defense attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC represent individuals facing a wide range of state and federal criminal charges. Our practice includes traffic violations, DWI/DUI offenses, drug crimes, firearm and weapons charges, and gun permit denials.
We also defend clients accused of property crimes, including larceny, breaking and entering, robbery, fraud, embezzlement, and other white-collar offenses. Our attorneys handle cases involving sex-related offenses, such as indecent exposure, sexual assault, crimes against nature, and petitions for removal from the sex offender registry. In addition, we represent individuals charged with violent crimes, including domestic violence offenses, assault, manslaughter, homicide, and murder.
Beyond criminal charges, we assist clients with related legal matters such as restraining orders, probation violations, expungements, criminal appeals, and immigration issues arising from criminal allegations. We believe that informed clients are empowered clients, and we are committed to helping individuals understand their constitutional rights while providing aggressive and effective legal representation at every stage of the process.
Source:
https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2025-2026/SL2026-49.html
https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_15a/gs_15a-1340.23.html
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