Higher fines for fake passes in Aspen

Aspen Skiing Company may be raising the fine for fraudulent ski passes, after a sharp rise in the number of people caught using them.

Eighty skiers and snowboarders were caught using fake passes on Aspen-area slopes. The current fine for a fake lift ticket is $196 ($100 plus the price of a full day’s lift ticket).

“Because we are seeing this increase in incidents we are strongly considering raising the fee,” Senior V.P. David Perry said. The company is considering instating the the increase soon.

In one case, a man attempted to use a pass that was not his three separate times in one day at Snowmass Ski Resort.

The ski company is using wireless technology to help identify perpetrators. Photos can be sent directly to the hand-held scanners used by lift operators.