Exploring the systemic lack of transparency surrounding accidental ski deaths in Colorado
Colorado’s most popular ski resorts are carved out of our public lands. Breckenridge, Keystone and Vail Mountain — to name the big three — all pay millions in fees to the U.S. Forest Service for the privilege of operating highly profitable concessions there. Despite that, these businesses largely operate in secret when it comes to vital public safety information.
Using coroner’s office documents across 16 counties, the Summit Daily was able to piece together a database of 137 skier deaths over the past 10 years. The information shines new light on the nature of these tragedies.
Click the top right corner to view a full-page map, or click on the icon on the top left for a full list. Zoom into a resort to see where each skier death occurred on the mountain, and click on the skier/snowboarder icon to learn more about who died on the slopes.