If you’re heading to the ski slopes this winter, you might want to leave the flask at home.

The volunteer RCMP ski patrol is returning to Lake Louise and Nakiska, and this year they’ve got nearly double the number of officers keeping an eye out for alcohol and drug abuse, as well as other bad behaviour on the hills.

“We started off with eight volunteers, finished off the year with 15, and we’re hopefully expanding to even more volunteers,” said Sgt. Jeff Campbell of the Lake Louise RCMP detachment, who heads up the program.

“The ultimate goal is (to have a presence) straight through the Bow Valley.”

After fizzling out in the 1990s, the volunteer program was resurrected last year with officers in full uniform and armed with guns hitting the slopes on their days off to act as a visual deterrence, Campbell said.

RCMP officers were already doing foot patrols near the ski racks, and decided to expand their reach to the ski hills after hearing of marijuana use, drinking in the gondola, and reckless skiing, he said.

Last year, there was one drug seizure and several warnings for reckless skiing in snow zones, but no major incidents, Campbell said.

He said the program may expand to Norquay, Sunshine and Marmot Basin in Jasper this year.

For the most part, feedback has been positive from skiers, snowboarders and staff, he added.

“Some people had concerns last year with the members being on the hill, and some thought we were being paid to be up there, which they thought was an inappropriate use of funding,” Campbell said.

“As soon as they found out this was a volunteer thing, that they (the officers) were up there on their own time, they were OK with that.”

Jean Hunt, a partner at Ski Cellar Snowboard, who has been skiing and snowboarding for 40 years, said she likes the program and lauds the officers for volunteering their time.

“Whatever contributes to keeping the hill safe and family friendly is not a bad thing,” Hunt said, though she acknowledged that some of her staff may not share the same views.

And Hunt is right — not everyone is a fan of the program.

Ken Dowdle, co-owner of Mission Snow, Skate and BMX, said he doesn’t like it when people smoke weed or even cigarettes while riding the chairlifts. But the last thing he wants is a police officer watching him while he’s trying to have a leisurely day in the mountains.

“Doesn’t matter what you’re doing and how well behaved you are. If a cop is looking over your shoulder, you feel guilty before proven guilty,” Dowdle said. “That’s not the feeling I want when I’m spending $100 to have a great day in the mountains.”

Matt Felske, an avid skier and ski salesman, said he doesn’t have a problem with the program, but the customers where he works have had mixed reactions to the program.

“Some customers aren’t a fan of it. They say nature is a natural place to be and they want to do natural things in it. Other people think it’s a good idea to crack down on a guy smoking pot in gondolas.”

Personally, Felske says he feels a bit nervous skiing next to “a guy with a gun on his hip,” adding: “If he was to fall, is there any chance that could go off?”