killclimbz

A fairly decent 3 part series taking a look at ski area accidents, deaths, and the protections ski areas in Colorado enjoy. It raises some valid points on the back end about how this is handled. I thought the final piece fell a little flat though. Still worth you time to read it.

Part 1: Colorado system for investigating ski accidents raises concerns - The Denver Post

Part 2: Colorado ski industry enjoys protection from law, waivers - The Denver Post

Part 3: Colorado skiers die on groomed, blue runs after hitting trees - The Denver Post

wrathfuldeity

54 in 51 million...those are great odds. Brief scan seems to be tourist on blue runs...duh. Maybe we should require folks to wear a "bib of color" that denotes their experience...like Canada drivers have a N for new and a L for learner stickered on their car.

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BigmountainVMD

Interesting that more snowboarders are hospitalized for traumatic brain injuries than skiers... wonder why?

MarshallV82

Maybe I'm wrong here..

Colorado resorts (espially Vail resorts) almost annoy me the way they mark every little obstacle and place slow signs and yellow jackets all over the mountain. Utah, Idaho and most mom and pop resorts have a couple signs and volunteer ski patrol. A lot of resorts overseas are basically backcountry mountains with a tow rope or chairlift.
I tend to side with the resorts point of view. If you don't want to risk injury, don't go skiing. Most ski resorts go to great lengths to promote safety. There will be lapses, but they are good for the most part. I can see the inbounds avalanche at Vail being a case since it was not fully roped off, even that is sketchy. I'm sure the kid knew full well what it was. Skiers/riders losing control and bashing into trees are on their own. Collisions are caused by people ignoring skiers code or basically asking for it by not skiing with common sense.

Morons overcrowding the resorts is the issue.
Vail wasn't letting people on the hill a few weekends ago, 24,000 people on the mountain! Crazy

killclimbz

I just find it interesting that the Ski areas are fairly immune from lawsuits, but that they don't have to track and maintain data on accidents and deaths at the ski areas. Overall I think the resorts around here do a solid job. Again, I think the article points out some valid flaws in the system.

Psi-Man

Wow, that Ski and Safety Act is pretty powerful in Co. - extra waivers for season pass holders as well, hmm. It is a tough pill to swallow if something catastrophic occurs, but I agree that if these waivers were not in place ticket prices would increase. If I had to guess....+50%. The ambulance chasers would come out of the woodwork and resorts will pass the costs onto skiers/boarders or risk going out of business.

I was surprised that helmets did not reduce the overall death rate, but the reasons the article cited made sense.

MarshallV82

Yeah that is crazy, they do seem to almost hide injuries. I was Keystone earlier this year and seen a skier bash into a tree, he was out. Helicopter came while we waiting in line. I was curious so I googled it, looked for any kind news... Nothing.

The only ones you find reported are deaths. I'm sure they track everything for their use. Bad PR if something like that gets out I suppose.

I can't believe it protects them from accidents such as the snowmobile accident and chairlift mishaps caused by the lift operators. I feel like that's out of line.

Derp

For the most part you won't hear about anything other than a fatality. We have so many people with scanners and walkies in the area that we are trained on exactly what to say if we witness something while working or have to radio something in to the office or ski patrol.

We had a snow-shoer who died last week in a quarry to the west of our resort. Was not on our "property" at all. 10 minutes after being discovered though there were already locals coming down to the lift talking about how "some guy just skied off the quarry and broke his neck."

Argo

Working at a hospital at the base of the largest us ski resort I see tons of injuries.... All sorts. Skiers more than boarders and about 95% of serious injuries are tourists/front range 20 day a season peeps. Rarely is it a local mixed in the bunch of injuries. Last year two locals died though.... Kid in an avy and older ER doc from a fall..... The rule of thumb though is when you move to the mountains you will get injured/break a bone in your first year, learn and move on.

It's just part of active sports, risk of injury. People should accept that if they want to do it.

I do find it as a disservice to not report serious injuries, people need to see it reported these days to know it's a reality.

killclimbz

It is very powerful and well protected for sure. Ski areas are the number 2 source of revenue for the state. The only thing that pulls in more dollars are hunting and fishing licenses and the related business that segment drives.

I am not sure on the waiver thing. Season passes used to cost a lot more here. A season pass for Vail and it was only for Vail was over $1k. Season passes for the lesser big guys, Breck, Winterpark, Keystone, were between $700-$800, and only good for the resort you bought it at. Lift tickets were much cheaper by the day. $60 lift tickets were the expensive ones back then. Lot's of deals ranging to $20-$40 a day for lift tickets. It ran like this until the late 90's. Then the pass wars happened. Season passes got much cheaper, and offered multiple resorts. Quietly, single day ticket prices sky rocketed. So I don't really think the waivers had much to do with prices. Ski areas operated on the previous model for 40 years and managed to stay in business.

Like any business they want to stack the odds in their favor.