Liability in cornice cutting.

[F.D.V.]

So, I got this line that I want to ski. Avi. consequences are pretty much death if it slides.

Has massive cornices at the top, one of which will be cut prior to my dropping (or not) in. Now, the path is mostly visible from the top and bottom, and my wife has offered to spot me from the bottom of line.

Now, for the big question.

The avi. path crosses a road via snowshed. Larger slides have spilled over the side and onto the road in the past.

So, if I trigger something big with a cornice drop and it hits the road and/or snowshed, am I going to be in trouble with the law? I should note the entire area is National Forest.

[DeeAre]

I say better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

[DeeAre]

oh, and take pictures please.

[AdironRider]

Couple years back a snowboarder ripped out a slide on Teton Pass that got me stuck in Driggs for a day and a half. I dont think anything ever happened to that guy in terms of legal liability, and he basically shut 2000+ people out of work for a couple days. Didnt kill anyone though. That might change some stuff.

[CookieMonster]

Is this a serious question?

If so, you may want to investigate whether or not Colorado has reckless endangerment / criminal mischief laws, and whether or not those laws, or others, are applicable. You might want to consider whether or not a disaster would expose you to civil liability from unhappy motorists or others.

Also, have you found a location where your wife would be safe from the flowing snow and any airblast that may occur? From what I've read in TAR ( and elsewhere ), some of the paths in the San Juans produce large avalanches with destructive power that surprises professionals from time-to-time. You may want to double or triple your current estimates of what constitutes an acceptable margin of safety for her.

Since you live in the San Juan's, and since you mention the presence of a snowshed, I assume that this area is controlled/monitored by CDOT? Do you not wish to reveal the specific location?

CDOT might have a better answer.

[eirikainersharp]

appropriate to this thread - from a couple of weeks ago. Not me but some folks clearing up the slack country around Kicking Horse. Luckily there was no one down there. For the goods start a minute in.

[Jethro]

I have a 100' piece of stainless cable that I drop cornices with. You have to be extremely careful when doing this. As far as liability goes, it probably mirrors firearms usage in the forest. It is legal, but you are responsible if someone gets hurt, and I mean criminally. Intentionally dropping a cornice would probably set you up for more liability than if you accidentally set off a slide. There is intent.

[Nick_C_123]

You must be either talking about the wolf cr. snowshed or riverside. Either way you're a dumbass. Stay off that shit if you're worried about it hitting the road. Plenty of other stuff to ski.

[summit]

If you are thinking about Riverside, don't. That snowshed does not, repeat does NOT protect the road from the entire path especially if it goes big. That path has killed people on the road AFTER the snowshed was placed in. CDOT didn't have the money to build it as big as they wanted.

[Shorty_J]

I think the comment from that video "I hope there is no one down there" is kind of terrifying. You should only cut a cornice off, or ski cut for that matter, when you KNOW there is nobody below you. There are some situations when this is possible, but that video is clearly not one of them, as the Kickinghorse slackcountry is a popular spot. I would suggest to you, F.D.V. that unless you knew there was no traffic on the road (a virtual impossibility unless the road is closed, in which case, you probably shouldn't be on that slope anyway) you shouldn't cut that cornice.

Regarless of whether you're legally liable or not, how would you feel if you triggered a slide that killed someone on the road below?