KNOW THE CODE
Snowsports offer us a great way to enjoy winter and all it has to offer. There are certain inherent risks with snow sports and our goal is to provide guests with a safe and enjoyable mountain experience. Safety starts with you: proper preparation, common sense, and personal awareness can help you reduce your risk on the slopes and ensure everyone has an exceptional winter experience.

The Skier & Rider's Responsibility Code is the foundation of ski area safety. Know the code:

1. Always stay in control. You must be able to stop or avoid people or objects.

2. People ahead or downhill of you have the right-of-way. You must avoid them.

3. Stop only where you are visible from above and do not restrict traffic.

4. Look uphill and avoid others before starting downhill or entering a trail.

5. You must prevent runaway equipment.

6. Read and obey all signs, warnings, and hazard markings.

7. Stay off closed trails and out of closed areas.

8. You must know how and be able to load, ride, and unload lifts safely. If you need assistance, ask the lift attendant.

9. Do not use lifts or terrain when impaired by alcohol or drugs.

10. If you are involved in a collision or incident, share your contact information with each other and a ski area employee.

Your knowledge, decisions, and actions contribute to your safety and the safety of others. If you need help understanding the code, please ask a ski area employee.

Published by the National Ski Areas Association

LOOK: Look behind for chair coming into the load area.
LOAD: Remove ski pole straps from wrist and hold them in one hand, freeing the other, and sit on the chair.
LOWER: Lower the bar promptly. The bar should remain down until indicated at the top of the lift.
LIFT: Raise the bar once indicated to do so by the signs at the top of the lift.
STAND: Once at the unload ramp, stand and unload safely.
LEAVE: Clear the ramp area quickly to alleviate congestion around the unload ramp.

Special considerations for children:

• A small child (defined as a child shorter than 51" to the top of their helmet) may require parental assistance to load or unload the lift. Ask for assistance if needed.
• Children should sit on the outside next to the armrest for added security.
• Remind children to sit against the backrest.

Each skier or snowboarder should know how to load and unload the lift. Ask for assistance if needed.

Watch these Lift Safety videos for tips on how to load, ride, and unload a chairlift.

How to Ride a Ski Lift
How to Load a Chairlift
How to Ride a Chairlift
How to Unload a Chairlift

Or learn more about lift safety on the National Ski Areas Association website.

Terrain parks offer a set of challenges and risks that may not be present on other parts of the mountain. Terrain parks are designated with an orange oval and features will differ between resorts but may contain jumps, take-offs, ramps, banks, fun boxes, jibs, rails, half-pipes, quarter-pipes, snowcross, bump terrain, and other constructed or natural terrain features. Before using terrain parks, it is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the terrain and obey all instructions, warnings, and signs.

Be Park SMART:
- Start small and work your way up. Build your skills.
- Make a plan for every feature, every time.
- Always look before you drop.
- Respect the features and other users.
- Take it easy and know your limits.

Learn more about Park SMART by visiting NSAA: https://nsaa.org/terrainparksafety/

For all community guidelines, visit our Health and Safety page.

Uphill access is allowed on the following slopes/trails during the normal operating hours of the Silver Creek area (as well as if such slopes/trails are indicated as open for uphill access on the daily snow report) within the Silver Creek area as indicated below:
-Cubb Run
-Cubb Run Extension
-Slaymaker
-Spur
-Cascade
-Bearclaw (can skin up at night when Silver Creek is open but headlamp is required)
-Knife Blade
-Little Spruce
-Laurel Run
-Downhill Options: Upon skinning up you may ski/ride down any open trail

VIEW FULL UPHILL POLICY HERE

Sledding and tubing are prohibited on resort property at any time of the day or night.

• Resort terrain is not suitable for sledding, tubing, or anything of the like and may increase the risk of losing control and colliding with objects (natural or man-made). Doing so may lead to serious injury or death.
• Tubing is restricted to a designated operating location and is prohibitedanywhere else on the Resort Property at any time of the day or night.
• Maintenance of the Resort is a 24-hour operation. Snowmaking, grooming, and chairlift maintenance occur during and outside of operational hours. During these operations, unauthorized persons on the premises expose themselves to extreme hazards. In addition to the dangers posed by the highly pressurized snowmaking equipment, our snowcats and snowmobiles continually traverse the slopes during grooming activities.

Only resort users with approved snow-sliding devices will be permitted to ski and ride on resort property. All sliding devices must have a retention device.

APPROVED SNOW SLIDING DEVICES:

• Downhill Skis
• Snowboards
• Telemark Skis
• Mono Skis
• Snow blades
  
• Snowshoes

APPROVED ADA ADAPTIVE SNOW SLIDING DEVICES:

• Sit Skis
• Mono Skis
• Bi-Skis

NON-APPROVED DEVICES:

• Cross-Country Skis
• Boot Skis
• Ski Bikes
• Snow Trike
• Snow Scooter
• Snow Deck
• Snow Skate
• Snow Surfers
• Skis/Snowboards with plastic edges
• Dual Board Snowboards
• Tandem Devices
• Sleds, tubes, or toboggans
• Body sled
• Fat tire bikes

The Snowshoe Bike Park is intended for downhill mountain biking and consists of trails that contain naturally rugged terrain and man made and natural features. A downhill specific mountain bike is recommended when riding the Snowshoe Bike Park.

All riders must possess a valid ticket or pass to enter the Bike Park. Before riding, always inspect your equipment or have it checked by a qualified mechanic.

• Notice there are no top-to-bottom "easiest" trails on the Western Territory.
• All trails within the Bike Park are for downhill biking only. No uphill traffic permitted.
• Please stay on designated trails.
• Trail features vary in size and difficulty.
• Degree of difficulty ratings and symbols are relative to the Snowshoe Bike Park only.
• Terrain and features change constantly due to weather, maintenance, usage, modification, and time of day.
• Observe all posted signs and closures.
• Do not use trails or features if you lack sufficient ability and/or experience. You may cautiously walk your bike if you feel you are on a trail or feature beyond your skill level.
• Not all trails are checked or cleared on a continual basis. Report obstacles or hazards to Patrol or any Snowshoe employee.
• You may encounter authorized and unauthorized motor vehicles, trail work crews, and construction areas: it is your responsibility to yield.

Device	Allowed in the Bike Park	Allowed in the Village area / path	Allowed on Backcountry Trails	Allowed on Unimproved Roads	Comments
Downhill Bike	Yes*	Yes	Yes	Yes	*Equipment restrictions within Bike Park include, but are not limited to, a mountain bike or downhill bike containing 2 wheels, 2 functional brakes, and 2 off road tires. A downhill specific bike is highly recommended for use within the Bike Park. Helmets are required.
XC Mountain Bike	Yes*	Yes	Yes	Yes	*See above
BMX Bike	No	Yes	No	Yes*	*A mountain bike is highly recommended for use on unimproved roads. Unimproved roads consist of gravel and/or dirt services. Such roads may also contain rocks, puddles, draining ditches, and forest debris. Helmets are required.
Fat Bikes	Yes*	Yes	Yes	Yes	*A downhill specific bike is highly recommended for use within the Bike Park. Helmets are required,
Child Bike Seats	No	Yes	No	No	Helmets are required
Child Backpack/Carriers	No	Yes	Yes*	Yes*	*Allowed when hiking only.
Child Biker or Strider	No	Yes	No	Yes*	*A mountain bike is highly recommended for use on unimproved roads. Helmets are required.
Adaptive Equipment	Yes*	Yes	Yes	Yes	*Equipment restrictions within the Bike Park include hand cycles must be built for mountain biking, containing a minimum of one working hand brake (two hand brakes are recommended). Special adaptive equipment must be approved by Snowshoe management in advance. Helmets are required.
Digglers/Mountain Scooters	No	Yes	No	Yes	Must contain a functional braking system. Helmets are required.
Motorized Vehicles (Motorcycles & ATV's)	No	No	No	No	No un-authorized vehicles allowed on the mountain.
Mountain Boards	No	Yes	No	Yes	Must contain functional braking system. Helmets are required.
Road Bike / Hybrid / Cyclocross / Fixies / Recumbent	No	Yes	No	Yes*	*A mountain bike is highly recommended for use on unimproved roads. Helmets are required.
Tandem	No	Yes	No	Yes*	*A mountain bike is highly recommended for use on unimproved roads. Helmets are required.
Trailers / Pulled carriers	No	Yes	Yes*	Yes	*Backcountry trails are rugged single track trails that contain mountainous terrain. Helmets are required.
Unicycles	No	Yes	Yes*	Yes	*A mountain bike is highly recommended for use on backcountry trails and unimproved roads. Helmets are required.
E-Bikes	Yes*	Yes	Yes	Yes	*Downhill biking only in the Bike Park. No uphill traffic.
Skateboards	No	Yes*	No	No	*Skateboarders shall be considerate of other guests. No skating on steps or railings within the Village or other properties. Helmets are required. We recommend skateboard enthusiasts utilize our skate park at Silver Creek.
Hover Boards	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

**List subject to change at any time. Additionally, some of the devices may be temporarily restricted due to events, activities, conditions, construction and/or for any reason deemed necessary by Snowshoe. Please be aware that most devices require the use of a helmet while operating such devices on Snowshoe property. Snowshoe may deny some devices from accessing the lift system. Child backpacks must be removed from the back to access the lift. Children who are unable to walk on their own must be in a carrier or harness device in order to ride the life with a parent or guardian. Please contact the Snowshoe Mountain Risk and Safety department regarding any questions. Thank you and enjoy the mountain!

• Ride under control, within your ability, and in such a manner that you can stop or avoid other people and objects.
• Keep off all closed trails and closed areas; stay on marked trails.
• Read and obey all signs and warnings.
• Inspect trails and features before using or attempting.
• Do not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above or to other riders.
• Stop and look both ways before crossing roads.
• People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
• Slow or stop as necessary when overtaking other riders. Anticipate others at corners and blind spots. Slower riders yield to faster riders as soon as it is safe to do so.
• Look uphill and yield to other riders when entering a trail or starting downhill.
• Helmets are required while riding on Snowshoe Mountain trails.
• Identify yourself to Patrol or any Snowshoe employee if you are involved in or are a witness to a collision or accident.
• Don't enter the Bike Park or utilize the chairlift if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• You should have sufficient physical dexterity, ability and knowledge to safely load, ride and unload the lift, and to ride the trails and features you choose.
• Make sure your equipment is in proper working order.
• Respect Snowshoe Mountain, its employees, other guests and property.

• Trails or lifts may be temporarily closed due to weather, special events, construction, maintenance, or trail conditions. Check the daily trail report at the Mountain Adventure Center or the Depot for Bike Park and Lift information.
• In the event of a weather hold the lifts will stop and shuttle buses will pick up riders at Arbuckle's Cabin (Western Territory) and the Boathouse (Basin).

Trails are designated for mixed-use by hikers, cross-country mountain bikers, and other users and activities. Please be courteous to other trail users, yield when appropriate, and pass with care.

These trails lead into remote areas with no services. Cellular phones may not have coverage. Ride or hike with a partner, and let a responsible party know where you will be and when you plan to return.

You may encounter authorized and unauthorized vehicles, trail work crews, and construction areas. Always stay alert and use caution.

Trails and/or lifts may be temporarily closed due to maintenance, weather, special events, construction, or trail conditions. Please check the mountain report and obtain additional information at the Mountain Adventure Center (MAC) or the Depot.

Weather conditions often change rapidly in the mountains. Finding sufficient shelter may not be possible. Be prepared. Bring enough water for your entire party. Potable water for drinking is not available in backcountry areas.

Never approach or feed wildlife. Do not get closer than 100 yards. Confrontations are best handled by staying calm and backing away slowly. Don't make wildlife feel threatened.

Take care of paradise...Leave only footprints, take nothing but pictures, and kill nothing but time.

The degree of difficulty rating and symbols are relative to Snowshoe Mountain only.

Open containers containing alcohol and/or controlled substances are prohibited from Snowshoe Mountain’s slope and lift systems.

Ski Patrol, Safety Patrol, Public Safety, or any employee of Snowshoe Mountain reserves the right to revoke the skiing, riding, or use of the lifts by any individual who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.

This policy is in accordance with Chapter 20 Article 3A Section 5 of the West Virginia state code.

Please contact the Snowshoe Mountain Risk and Safety Department at 304-572-5895 if you have any questions related to this policy.

Out of safety concerns for guests, employees, and resort property, as well as concerns for individual privacy, Snowshoe Mountain strictly prohibits the operation or use of unmanned aerial systems, or drones, by the general public – including recreational users and hobbyists. This prohibition includes drones used for filming or videotaping on Snowshoe Mountain Resort property. This prohibition on drone operations or use extends to any drones launched or operated from Resort property, as well as drones launched from private property outside of Snowshoe Mountain’s boundaries. The use of commercial drones is only permitted with the express written consent of Snowshoe Mountain. Commercial use includes, but is not limited to, drone use by media or journalists operating above or within Snowshoe Mountain’s boundaries.

VIEW FULL DRONE POLICY HERE

Dogs on Snowshoe property or on such property managed by Snowshoe shall be in compliance with the provisions set forth in the Pocahontas County Dog Ordinance. Such dogs shall be leashed at all times while in the areas of the village and lakefront, however this provision shall not be solely bound to such areas.

Pets on Snowshoe Property shall be under control and well-mannered at all times.

Pets shall not be permitted to enter Snowshoe Food and Beverage, Retail, or Rental establishments owned and/or operated by Snowshoe.

Pets shall not be permitted on Snowshoe’s slope, trail, and lift systems during winter operations.

Pets may not be permitted into an event venue for the duration of the event. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to; Ballhooter Spring Break, GNCC, Chili Cook-off, Blues Brews and BBQ’s, Treasure on the Mountain and the FreeFall Festival.

VIEW FULL PET POLICY