Sunshine Ski Resort Fires Ski Patrollers Threads Removed from Internet

catskills · Jun 12, 2011

It is truly amazing that Sunshine Village Ski Resort (SSV) in Canada has the power to remove threads on ski forums in the USA. Both TGR and EpicSki removed their forum threads on SSV firing ski patrollers. So much for free speech in the USA.

Did AlpineZone have a thread on SSV firing ski patrollers?

If they did I can't find it.

New thread on EpicSki What happened to the '12 Patrollers fired at Sunshine Village' thread???

This small thread at snowjournal.com is still up.

My question is how many cease and desist letters from corporate lawyers do public forums like AlpineZone, EpicSki and TGR get? Is it more than one a year ?

This whole SSV firing ski patrollers story should be a movie. The whole drama with the internet, ski patrollers being fired, the reason why the patrollers were fired, and safety concerns at SSV after removing years of experience from ski patrol would make for a great movie. Don't forget the avalanche story about the grandfather. The SSV ski patrollers should sign a book and movie rights deal. I would go to this movie for sure.

Check out the photos of Ski Patrollers in action at SSV. This is not your average ski patrol. This ski patrol has a lot of safety responsibility for the customers at SSV.

gmcunni · Jun 12, 2011

LOL - free speech in US is about the government not controlling what you say, what a privately run web site does is not protected speech.

but i agree, very shady practice. We did have a thread here i think. i am familiar with the story and don't frequent other ski web sites so i'm pretty sure i read it here.

JimG. · Jun 12, 2011

I don't recall a thread and I don't recall discussing it as a mod.

Seems overly dramatic to me to take such steps; this will only bring more attention to the issue.

tmcc71 · Jun 12, 2011

there was a thread

I remember following it with great interest as i'm a ski patroller in Ma. i can't remember if the thread was here or TGR though.

Clarkl23 · Jun 12, 2011

I just stuck up a link to the patrol web page on Facebook. Amazing that an over privileged little idiot can do that much damage and that the mountain would over react in such a way as to so severely damage their ski patrol.

riverc0il · Jun 12, 2011

Outrageous. From the EpicSki thread:

http://www.supportskipatrol.com/

I liked em' on Facebook. I hope Sunshine has a very bad year financially for their actions.

Nick... I hope you don't have to deal with the crap that EpicSki and TGR had to deal with.

snowmonster · Jun 12, 2011

Mark it: this thread began on Sunday morning at 8:47 am today. Let's see how long before we hear from SSV to pull it down. Though I'd also like to hear their side of the story, I don't see how they can spin this to make it look good.

Liked on FB. Will spring for a shirt.

Edd · Jun 12, 2011

I remember threads on TGR and Epic but I'm pretty sure it didn't pop up on AZ.

gmcunni · Jun 12, 2011

Edd said:
I remember threads on TGR and Epic but I'm pretty sure it didn't pop up on AZ.

somebody had to post something here. maybe not a dedicated thread but at least a link back to one of the other web sites otherwise i wouldn't have know about it (i don't read other forums unless someone here links to something i find interesting)

TheBEast · Jun 13, 2011

F'd up!!

Rambo · Jun 13, 2011

The power of the net. Here is a blog not removed from Mammoth Mountain forums:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...1sTsDA&usg=AFQjCNGaGfAmy3qxFm_oNh0ZVq1c0tFvxA

Mapnut · Jun 13, 2011

http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread...2-patrollers-fired-at-sunshine-village-thread

See Ex-racer's post, No. 4. for Epicski's statement and crgildart's, No. 14, for TGR's. As you might guess, a threat to sue for slander was more than these web sites could risk. Freedom of speech can cost money.

Of which Yahoo has plenty though: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-ski-533914-sunshine_village_ski_resort-i
I love the unanimity there.

RootDKJ · Jun 13, 2011

TheBEast said:
F'd up!!

No kidding. It's a pretty low move on behalf of the owner/management to have threads removed off skiing message boards for what ever the reason. I'm surprised that both TGR and Epic caved, actually.

Anyone know of a legal precedent similar to this? Let's say they didn't take the threads down and Scumbag Ski Resort - whoops - Sunshine Ski Resort actually files a motion with the courts to have the threads removed? I'm guessing such a motion would have to filed that in the same state that TGR or Epic is hosted in? What would happen next?

skidmarks · Jun 13, 2011

Classic Shi#storm

Crazy stuff!! Hope they get to the bottom of this mess. Right now Sunshine sure looks like a bunch of Bullies. I wonder what the real story is.

neil · Jun 13, 2011

Mapnut said:
http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread...2-patrollers-fired-at-sunshine-village-thread

See Ex-racer's post, No. 4. for Epicski's statement and crgildart's, No. 14, for TGR's. As you might guess, a threat to sue for slander was more than these web sites could risk. Freedom of speech can cost money.

I run a forum and we get this a lot. If it's any kind of celebrity or corporation we take it down normally. Just not worth the risk. If it's just an individual they normally won't bother spending the cash to start any legal stuff, however, those with bigger pockets will!

filejw · Jun 13, 2011

Glad I read this as Iv been to Sunshine twice in the last few years. I have no use for a place where a spoiled brats "do you know who i am " works.

wa-loaf · Jun 13, 2011

Screwed up stuff. Hopefully the owners loose their shirts and and the place gets new management. What kind of father lets their kids get away with that crap. I would have let my kid get booted from the resort.

songfta · Jun 16, 2011

RootDKJ said:
I'm surprised that both TGR and Epic caved, actually.

The reason they caved is that both TGR and EpicSki are businesses, and thus have their business interests to protect. Running up legal fees to try and defend slander accusations would be contrary to the core business of each entity, so they backed down.

Frankly, all the C&D writs coming from SSV's legal department are a sign that the resort's management is having a hard time keeping the narrative positive for them. These are simple acts of desperation, and if a board were to stand up against these C&D orders (which, sadly, would require a decent legal counsel and likely some funding - can't see this being a simple pro bono job), I think that SSV would likely end up being in the wrong.

Just my $0.02 as a non-lawyer (who happens to live in an area saturated with bar-certified residents).

Northernflight · Jun 16, 2011

Not that this place was high on my to-hit list but now I have no interest in going there. That story is utterly ridiculous and the way the management is reacting is the complete opposite way they should. Way to create bad publicity.

marcski · Jun 16, 2011

Apparently, deleting threads is something that happens frequently in ski related sites...just look at AZ. Threads (and well regarded posters) get removed here all the time even without and C&D letters....

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