Colorado ski deaths since 06/07 season
Click top right corner to view full-page map, click on icon on the top left for a full list. Zoom in to each resort to see where each skier death occurred on the mountain, and click on the skier/snowboarder icon to learn more about the participant who died on the slopes.
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.
The Summit Daily produced “Whiteout,” a three-part series, to explore the systemic lack of transparency surrounding accidental ski deaths. Using coroner’s office documents across 16 counties, we were 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.
Backcountry skier dies in avalanche in Maroon Bowl outside of Aspen
April 8, 2018 — A member of the Mountain Rescue Aspen team died in an avalanche Sunday in the Maroon Bowl, which is near but outside the Aspen Highlands ski resort boundary, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday night. “It appears that the skier caught in the slide
Skier fatality at Breckenridge Ski Resort
March 28, 2018 — The Summit County Sheriff’s office has confirmed a skier fatality at 3:55 p.m. on Friday, March 23. The sheriff released the following statement: “On March 23, 2018 at approximately 3:55 p.m. the Summit County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a skier that collided
Skier killed in tree collision at Breckenridge Ski Resort identified by coroner
March 9, 2018 — The skier who died after colliding with a tree at Breckenridge Ski Resort on Thursday morning has been identified as Derek Cressey, 38, of Windham, Maine, the Summit County Coroner's Office confirmed Friday afternoon. Cressey's cause and manner of death have not yet been determined
Skier fatality reported at Breckenridge Ski Resort
March 8, 2018 — On March 8, at approximately 9:50 a.m., the Summit County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a skier who collided with a tree at Breckenridge Ski Resort on Peak 8. The skier was transported to the Peak 8 First Aid Room where he was
Skier who died after hitting tree at Keystone Resort ID’ed by coroner
February 26, 2018 — The skier who died after hitting a tree at Keystone Ski Resort Sunday afternoon was 32-year-old Leon Harding Christopher III of Raleigh, N.C., the Summit County Coroner's Office confirmed Monday afternoon. Christopher's death was the second at Keystone so far this season and the third
Snowboarder dies after hitting tree at Keystone Resort
December 8, 2017 — A snowboarder died three days after losing control and hitting a tree at Keystone Ski Resort on Saturday, Dec. 2, the first death at a Summit County ski area so far this season and the second reported ski death statewide. Nathan Enright, 21, of Libertyville,Snowboarder dies after hitting tree at Monarch Ski Area near Salida
December 3, 2017 — SALIDA, Colo. — Authorities say a snowboarder was killed when he hit a tree at Colorado's Monarch Ski Area. The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office says 23-year-old Collin J. Zak, a native of Ohio who was serving in the military, was found unresponsive Saturday morning on
Board investigating Ski Granby Ranch chairlift death punts to state office
May 10, 2017 — Matters related to the investigation of a Texas woman's death at Ski Granby Ranch in December were tabled this afternoon by the investigative body seeking the cause for the incident. The Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board held its regular quarterly meeting on Wednesday during which time they entered a closed
Skier who died at Loveland Ski Area Friday is state’s 14th of season
May 2, 2017 — A 59-year-old Boulder man died while skiing at Loveland Ski Area on Friday, April 28, the Clear Creek County coroner confirmed Tuesday. The Boulder Daily Camera was first to report the incident early Tuesday morning. Kevin Edwards, an attorney with the state Attorney General’s Office,
Fixler: Clearing the air on Colorado ski deaths (reporter’s notebook)
April 26, 2017 — On Feb. 29, 2016, an email arrived to my inbox. It was polite, articulate and exceptionally vulnerable. It requested a response at my earliest convenience, but had the pointed approach of basically asking, "Why haven't you already written a story about my dead son?" I'd
Identity of Colorado’s sixth ski death for 2016-17 now confirmed
April 25, 2017 — A 44-year-old man from Olathe, Kansas, who died after skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in February was recently confirmed as the state's sixth ski fatality this winter as part of the 13 to occur during the 2016-17 season. Jim Bell, a 16-year veteran firefighterSummit Daily editorial: Hold Colorado’s ski industry accountable on death, injury data
April 20, 2017 — 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,
