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.
Read more about skier deaths in Colorado
Juvenile skier dies following collision at Breckenridge Ski Resort
A juvenile skier was killed at Breckenridge Ski Resort today, according to a statement from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. On Thursday morning at about 11 a.m., the sheriff’s office responded to a report that...
Backcountry skier dies in avalanche near Jones Pass in Clear Creek County
A 48-year-old skier was caught, buried and killed in an avalanche Thursday afternoon near Jones Pass, west of Berthoud Pass, in Clear Creek County. Authorities have identified the man as Hans Berg of Empire. Berg...
Backcountry skier found dead after avalanche near Telluride
DENVER — Crews on Monday recovered the body of a missing backcountry skier who apparently died in an avalanche in southwestern Colorado as the danger level remained elevated following heavy snow over the weekend. Teams...
30-year-old Aspen man dies in early morning snowboard crash
Authorities say 30-year-old Aaron Joseph Hill of Aspen died early Sunday morning after snowboarding in a closed area of Aspen Mountain and hitting a building near the base area on the west side. Hill’s name...
Aspen men skied through avalanche debris before deadly slide, report says
Two Aspen-area men who died in an avalanche near Crested Butte on Feb. 16 skied through debris of two recent slides in Brush Creek Valley shortly before triggering one themselves, according to a report by...
Skier killed in avalanche near Telluride
Search crews have recovered the body of a backcountry skier who was caught in an avalanche in southwestern Colorado. The San Miguel Sheriff’s Office says 47 year-old Salvadore Garcia-Atance was buried in the slide near...
Colorado Avalanche Information Center sees increase in people caught and carried by slides
ASPEN — Four people have died in backcountry avalanches in Colorado this winter, but the number of fatalities could have been even greater after numerous close calls in the Colorado backcountry, particularly in January, according...
Snowboarder, 20, dies after attempting jump at Aspen’s Snowmass
UPDATE: Tyler Hamm of Snowmass Village was identified Monday as the snowboarder who died Sunday in the terrain park at Snowmass resort, the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office said Monday morning. The cause and manner of...
Skier dies at Granby Ranch after colliding with tree Saturday night
A skier died Saturday night at Ski Granby Ranch after reportedly hitting a tree, according to Granby police. Ski patrol attended to an unresponsive skier at about 7:10 p.m. at the Granby ski resort, according...
Skier who died Sunday at Quandary Peak identified
The skier who died after an accident on Quandary Peak on Sunday has been identified as 22-year-old Peter Jacob Wing of Denver, according to Summit County Coroner Regan Wood. Wood said that the manner of...
Backcountry skier died Sunday on Quandary Peak
A backcountry skier died Sunday after being critically injured at about 13,400 feet elevation on Quandary Peak. He has not yet been identified. The Summit County Rescue Group responded to the call at about 11:20...
Skier dies at Breckenridge Ski Resort
A 71-year-old man died at Breckenridge Ski Resort Monday, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. At about 1:04 p.m. the Summit County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a male skier who was...
Skier who died at Breckenridge on Monday identified
The skier who passed away at Breckenridge Ski Resort on Monday has been identified as 71-year-old William Hass of Northbrook, Illinois, according to Summit County Coroner Regan Wood. At about 1:04 p.m. on Monday, the...
Remembering Durwood Marshall, Silverthorne man who passed away following cardiac event at Keystone Resort
For Durwood Marshall, the mountains were always calling. From his early days on the East Coast, to his retirement years in Silverthorne, his love for skiing was a constant in a life characterized by exploration...
Skier dies after crash at Breckenridge Ski Resort
A 21-year-old skier passed away at St. Anthony Summit Medical Center on Sunday, succumbing to injuries suffered while at Breckenridge Ski Resort earlier that day. The individual has been identified as Daniel Giger, a University...
Backcountry skier dies in avalanche in Maroon Bowl outside of Aspen
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...
Skier fatality at Breckenridge Ski Resort
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...
Skier killed in tree collision at Breckenridge Ski Resort identified by coroner
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...
Skier fatality reported at Breckenridge Ski Resort
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...
Skier who died after hitting tree at Keystone Resort ID’ed by coroner
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...
