VAIL, Colorado — Ducking a rope at Vail or Beaver Creek and entering restricted areas could cost skiers and snowboarders more than the powder on the other side might be worth.

Three snowboarders stuck in Vail last Thursday night learned the hard way after deep snow above West Vail left the men worried about their safety. The snowboarders, Gabriel Moses Betech, 39, Moises Nahmad Levy, 32, and Daniel Cohen Betech, 27, all of Col Polance, Mexico, called for help. The men had left Vail Mountain, near the top of Chair 20, into a restricted area, Eagle County Sheriff's Dep. Gianni Robinson said.

Eagle County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Shannon Cordingly said the Sheriff's Office doesn't issue many citations, but circumstances like Thursday's called for citations — the men violated the Skier Safety Act.

“Most people that get citations either went somewhere restricted and needed rescue, or someone witnesses unsafe behavior or actions that would warrant getting cited,” Cordingly said.

The snowboarders called for help and authorities had prepared to rescue them but they rode out to safety into Intermountain later Thursday night.

Vail Mountain spokeswoman Liz Biebl said skiers and riders are clearly warned by gates and signs when they leave Vail Mountain's boundaries.

“Pursuant to the Colorado Ski Safety Act, the ski area assumes no responsibility for skiers going beyond the ski area boundary,” Biebl said via e-mail. “To access the backcountry, skiers and riders must use designated gates only.”

Cordingly said the popular Minturn Mile backcountry route is not a restricted area, therefore no one is at risk for Sheriff's Office citations on the Minturn Mile.

Community Editor Lauren Glendenning can be reached at lglendenning@vaildaily.com or 970-748-2983.