DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS  
BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION CODES  
SKI AREA SAFETY – GENERAL RULES  
(By authority conferred on the director of the department of licensing and regulatory  
affairs by section 6 of the ski area safety act of 1962, 1962 PA 199, MCL 408.326, and  
Executive Reorganization Order Nos. 1991-9, 1996-2, 2003-1, 2008-4, and 2011-4, MCL  
338.3501, 445.2001, 445.2011, 445.2025, and 445.2030)  
R 408.61 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1993 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2007 AACS; 2014 AACS.  
R 408.62 Motorized vehicle use policy.  
Rule 2. (1) Ski area operators shall comply with all of the following with regard to  
the use of motorized vehicles on ski slopes, runs or trails open to the public:  
(a) Ski areas shall have a written policy that addresses all of the following:  
(i) The training required for anyone to operate an authorized vehicle on open ski  
slopes, runs, or trails. The training program shall be developed in consultation with the  
National Ski Areas Association's publication entitled "Snowmobile Operations Resource  
Guide, December 2005." The publication is available for purchase from the National  
Ski Areas Association, Member Services, 133 S. Van Gordon Street, Suite 300,  
Lakewood, CO 60226, Phone: (303) 987-1111, at a price of $10.00 for members or  
$50.00 for non-members. The publication may be viewed by appointment at the offices  
of the Bureau of Commercial Services, 2501 Woodlake Circle, Okemos, Michigan  
48864, Phone: (517) 241-9228.  
(ii) The recommended routes for motorized vehicles to follow when used on open  
ski slopes, runs, or trails.  
(iii) The circumstances under which a motorized vehicle may be used on open ski  
slopes, runs, or trails.  
(iv) The circumstances under which the alarm required in subrule (2)(d) of this rule  
must be utilized.  
(b) Report to the department within 24 hours any injury or fatality involving a  
motorized vehicle on a ski slope, run, or trail.  
(c) Prohibit the use of privately owned motorized vehicles in areas open to skiers.  
(2) Motorized vehicles operated on ski slopes, runs, or trails that are open to the  
public shall be equipped with all of the following:  
(a) Lights and brakes as required pursuant to MCL 324.82122.  
(b) For vehicles measuring less than 6 feet in height above the snow, a florescent  
flag measuring at least 40 square inches mounted at least 6 feet above the bottom of the  
tracks and visible from 360 degrees.  
(c) A flashing or rotating red light conspicuously located on the vehicle, which must  
be operated while the vehicle is moving in the vicinity of a ski slope, run, or trail.  
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(d) An audible alarm capable of producing a minimum warning sound of 85  
decibels to alert skiers or bystanders.  
(3) Operators of motorized vehicles on ski slopes, runs, or trails shall comply with  
the following:  
(a) Operate a vehicle at a rate of speed not greater than is reasonable for the  
conditions and as required pursuant to MCL 324.82126a and MCL 324.82126b.  
(b) Be at least 18 years of age, possess a valid driver's license, and have completed  
mandatory training provided by the ski area that includes the safe use of motorized  
vehicles on ski slopes, runs, or trails when skiers are present, as established in the  
written policy required in rule 408.62(1)(a).  
(c) Whenever possible, a vehicle operated on ski slopes, runs, or trails shall give  
skiers and pedestrians the right-of-way.  
History: 2008 AACS.  
R 408.65 Adoption of standards by reference.  
Rule 5. A person shall construct, install, and operate a ski lift as prescribed in ANSI  
standards B77.1-2017 entitled "American National Standard for Passenger Ropeways –  
Aerial Tramways, Aerial Lifts, Surface Lifts, Tows and Conveyors - Safety Standard,"  
which is adopted by reference in these rules. This standard may be purchased as an  
electronic download from the American National Standards Institute, Inc. at  
https://www.ansi.org for $200.00. The standard is available for inspection and purchase  
for $200.00 at the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of  
Construction Codes, at 611 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing, Michigan 48933, phone: (517)  
241-9273.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1993 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2007 AACS; 2018 AACS; 2020  
MR 23, Eff. Dec. 10, 2020.  
Editor's Note: An obvious error in R 408.651 was corrected at the request of the promulgating agency,  
pursuant to Section 56 of 1969 PA 306, as amended by 2000 PA 262, MCL 24.256. The rule containing  
the error was published in Michigan Register, 2020 MR 23. The memorandum requesting the correction  
was published in Michigan Register, 2020 MR 23.  
R 408.66 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1997 AACS.  
R 408.67 rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 2014 AACS.  
R 408.68 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1993 AACS; 1997 AACS.  
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R 408.69 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1997 AACS.  
R 408.70 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2014 AACS.  
R 408.71 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1997 AACS.  
R 408.75 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1993 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2014 AACS.  
R 408.76 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2014 AACS.  
R 408.77 Replacement of wire rope on emergency basis; repair.  
Rule 17. If damage to a wire rope is confined to a single strand, then a ski area  
operator may replace the damaged strand on an emergency basis. The ski area operator  
may return the repaired rope to service if all of the following conditions have been  
satisfied:  
(a) Approval for repairs has been obtained from the director.  
(b) A qualified wire rope splicer verbally advised the director, before the wire rope  
was returned to service, that a suitable replacement strand was available and it was  
possible to properly repair the rope using the patch method.  
(c) Documents showing the splice diagrams and overall length of the patch  
prepared by an approved wire rope splicer have been filed with the department and  
placed in the ski area operator’s wire rope log for the repaired rope.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS.  
R 408.78 Splicers; qualifications.  
Rule 18. The department shall deem a wire rope splicer to be qualified if he or she  
meets either of the following requirements:  
(a) Has not less than 5 years of splicing experience and has been observed, by a  
department inspector, making an acceptable wire rope splice.  
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(b) Presents credentials acceptable to the board from a major wire rope company  
or tramway manufacturer attesting to the individual’s qualifications as a wire rope  
splicer.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS.  
R 408.79 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 2014 AACS.  
R 408.80 Marking of snowmaking devices.  
Rule 20. (1) When a ski run, slope, or trail is open to the public, the ski area  
operator shall mark snowmaking devices as stated in this rule.  
(2) A ski area operator shall mark the location of any hydrant, snow gun, or similar  
fixture or equipment which is used in snowmaking operations located on a ski run  
and which extends less than 6 feet above the snow surface with a caution sign that  
has contrasting colors. An orange marking disc, with a minimum diameter of 8 inches,  
may be used as a caution sign. One sign is adequate for all devices within an area 3 feet  
on either side of the sign and 10 feet in the downhill direction of the ski run from the  
sign.  
(3) A ski area operator shall place a fiber rope with flags, or mesh tape that is more  
than 3 inches in height, or a fence where any hose, cord, or similar equipment is laying  
on a ski run. The ski area operator shall place the fiber rope with flags, mesh tape, or  
fence between the device and the normal approaching ski traffic. The ski area operator  
shall place the flags on a fiber rope not more than 10 feet apart.  
History: 1989 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS.  
R 408.81 Trail marking.  
Rule 21. (1) As required by the act, the ski area operator shall mark each ski run,  
slope, or trail with the appropriate symbol for the degree or difficulty, the degree of  
difficulty in words, and the name of the run, slope, or trail.  
(2) Each ski area operator shall select its most difficult slopes and trails and use the  
black diamond symbol to identify them and select its easiest slopes and trails and use a  
green circle symbol to identify them.  
(3) Each ski area operator shall mark all slopes and trails not identified as “most  
difficult” or “easiest” as “more difficult” and shall use a blue square symbol to identify  
them.  
(4) Each ski area operator shall ensure all of the following:  
(a) Lettering for trail marking signs is a minimum of 2 inches in height.  
(b) Symbols are not less than 6 inches in horizontal and vertical dimension.  
(c) All signs required by the act and these rules are constructed of weather-resistant  
materials, unless the signs are placed within a weathertight structure.  
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(d) All trail marking signs required by this rule are attached to a post, tree, lift tower,  
or building in a prominent location on or adjacent to the run, slope, or trail being marked.  
History: 1989 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2012 AACS.  
R 408.82 Marking of closed runs; "regulatory symbol" defined.  
Rule 22. (1) When a ski area is open for skiing and any ski run, slope, or trail is  
closed to skiing, the ski area operator shall mark the top of, or entrance to, each closed  
run, slope, or trail, or that portion of each run, slope, or trail that is closed if less than the  
entire run, slope, or trail, with a sign containing a regulatory symbol and the word  
"closed" in 3-inch or larger letters. The ski area operator shall place a fiber rope with  
flags, or mesh tape that is more than 3 inches in height, or a fence across the top of, or  
entrance to, the run, slope, or trail or that portion of the run, slope, or trail that is closed.  
The ski area operator shall place the flags on a fiber rope not more than 10 feet apart.  
(2) As used in this rule, "regulatory symbol" means a circle or octagon that has  
contrasting colors around an image of a prohibited activity overlaid with a diagonal line.  
The ski area operator shall ensure that the inside height and width of the circle or  
octagon are not less than 6 inches.  
History: 1989 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS; 2018 AACS.  
R 408.83 Lift designation signs.  
Rule 23. Any sign indicating the relative difficulty of the open slopes a lift serves  
shall be located so as to be visible from the entrance to the loading area of that lift.  
History: 1989 AACS.  
R 408.90 Ski lift accident or breakdown; report; securing scene of accident.  
Rule 30. (1) An operator shall immediately report to the department an accident  
involving a ski lift that results in serious injury to, or the death of, a person, including an  
employee, or a breakdown resulting from the structural, mechanical, electrical, or  
operational failure of a ski lift.  
(2) If a ski lift is removed from service by the director, the director shall order an  
immediate investigation by the department.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 2014 AACS.  
R 408.91 Rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS; 1997 AACS.  
R 408.92 Evacuation of skiers entangled in rope tow.  
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Rule 32. A ski area operator shall devise a method to safely evacuate, within a  
reasonable time, a skier entangled in the rope of a rope tow.  
History: 1979 AC; 1989 AACS.  
R 408.94 Toboggans and sleds.  
Rule 34. A lift or tow, while transporting skiers, shall not be used to transport  
toboggans or sleds, except by authorized personnel.  
History: 1979 AC.  
R 408.95 Rescission.  
Rule 35. R 408.101 to R 408.117 and R 408.131 to R 408.144 of the Michigan  
Administrative Code, appearing on page 4750 of the 1968 Annual Supplement to the  
Code, pages 6189 and 6190 of the 1972 Annual Supplement to the Code, pages 7313 to  
7315 of the 1974 Annual Supplement to the Code, and pages 8045 to 8050 of the 1975  
Annual Supplement to the Code, are rescinded.  
History: 1979 AC.  
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