VAIL ? Colorado's ski resorts set a grim record Saturday when a 32-year-old Denver-area man became the 17th skier or snowboarder to die on the slopes this season.
The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the Vail Valley Medical Center after a skiing incident on the intermediate run In The Wuides in Blue Sky Basin on Vail Mountain.
A call came at approximately 10:50 a.m., and Vail Ski Patrol responded immediately.
The ski patrol provided advanced life support and transported the patient to an ambulance at the bottom of the mountain.
The skier was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. Officials did not provide any other details.
The previous record for deaths was 16, set in the 2001-02 season.
That record was tied last weekend when a Kansas man became the 16th skier or snowboarder to die in a crash on the slopes.
The death of skier Michael Howe, 43, of Andover, Kan., on March 30 pushed the state to tie the dubious record. It was the fourth death at Keystone this season.
Industry officials say skiing remains statistically safer than many other outdoor activities, including bike riding and swimming, and every resort runs into safety programs.
"Not to sound cliche, but safety is the No. 1 priority at our resorts," said Nick Bohnenkamp, spokesman for the trade group Colorado Ski Country USA.
Victims have ranged from 11 years old to 67 and included men and women, snowboarders and skiers, beginners and experts, so observers say they are not concerned about major unaddressed safety issues.
"I don't see any trends," said Joanne Richardson, the coroner in Summit County, where eight people have died. "In some cases, it could be a little bit of inexperience. It could be unfamiliarity."
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingne...source=dailyme
The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the Vail Valley Medical Center after a skiing incident on the intermediate run In The Wuides in Blue Sky Basin on Vail Mountain.
A call came at approximately 10:50 a.m., and Vail Ski Patrol responded immediately.
The ski patrol provided advanced life support and transported the patient to an ambulance at the bottom of the mountain.
The skier was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. Officials did not provide any other details.
The previous record for deaths was 16, set in the 2001-02 season.
That record was tied last weekend when a Kansas man became the 16th skier or snowboarder to die in a crash on the slopes.
The death of skier Michael Howe, 43, of Andover, Kan., on March 30 pushed the state to tie the dubious record. It was the fourth death at Keystone this season.
Industry officials say skiing remains statistically safer than many other outdoor activities, including bike riding and swimming, and every resort runs into safety programs.
"Not to sound cliche, but safety is the No. 1 priority at our resorts," said Nick Bohnenkamp, spokesman for the trade group Colorado Ski Country USA.
Victims have ranged from 11 years old to 67 and included men and women, snowboarders and skiers, beginners and experts, so observers say they are not concerned about major unaddressed safety issues.
"I don't see any trends," said Joanne Richardson, the coroner in Summit County, where eight people have died. "In some cases, it could be a little bit of inexperience. It could be unfamiliarity."
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingne...source=dailyme
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