Colorado Ski Area Deaths at Highest Rate in 10 Years

The Vail Daily and Colorado Sun recently reported that at least 17 people died on the slopes at Colorado ski areas during the 2022-2023 ski season. This is the highest rate of ski area deaths in Colorado in over 10 years. It’s nearly double the number of ski area deaths in the 2021-2022 ski season.

Tragically, this figure includes the death of two teenagers who were sledding on the closed halfpipe at Copper Mountain. This tragedy received world-wide press coverage. It also includes the death of an Illinois man who fell over 20 feet from a ski lift at Breckenridge and the death of a 27-year-old Silverthorne man who crashed in the Makaha terrain park at Snowmass Mountain. Due to the fact that Colorado ski areas are not required to report deaths or injuries that occur on the mountain, in order to gather this information, reporters at the Colorado Sun had to call coroners’ offices in the 16 counties that have ski areas. Thus, the number of ski area deaths may be even higher. This is yet another example of the lack of accountability in the Colorado ski industry.

For over 30 years, Bloch & Chapleau has been fighting for the rights of skiers and snowboarders. Have you or a loved one been injured in a ski collision? Call Bloch & Chapleau today at 970-926-1700 to speak directly to an attorney.