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Snowboarder dies after hitting tree at Keystone Resort

Skiers riding a chairlift at Keystone Resort on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Courtesy of Keystone Resort

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, Illinois was taken to St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood after ski patrol responded to the scene of an accident on a beginner trail, a resort spokesman confirmed.

FOR MORE ON COLORADO SKIER DEATHS: Click here to read our three-part series. Or scroll down for our interactive map.

“Keystone Resort, Keystone Ski Patrol and the entire Vail Resorts family extend our deepest sympathy and support to our guest’s family and friends,” Keystone Resort vice president and general manager Geoff Buchheister said in a statement.

Enright was not wearing a helmet, according to the Summit County Coroner’s Office, which ruled his death accidental and caused by severe head trauma. Enright was taken off of life support and died on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

Enright had recently moved to Larimer County from the Chicago area for college, the coroner’s office said.

A spokesman for Colorado Ski Country USA, an industry group representing the state’s ski areas except those owned by Vail Resorts, confirmed that the only other death on the slopes so far this season was that of 23-year-old snowboarder Colin Zak, who died after slamming into a tree at Monarch Ski Area on Dec. 2. He was wearing a helmet and skiing in-bounds, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said.

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.


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