Ski Safety Blog

Snowboarding Beginning to Slide Backward

2012-05-15T21:54:13Z

Snowboarding soared from a mere 7.7 percent of visits to U.S. ski resorts in 1991 to 32.6 percent in 2009-10. The rapid growth countered the downward trend seen in skier visits through the 1990s, and snowboarding is largely credited with saving the sport. But the share has fallen over the past two seasons to 30.2 percent. Surprisingly, a higher percentage of snowboarders are leaving snowsports than skiers.

]]> As an example, last November at Southern California's Mountain High ski area was identical to November 2002. The same amount of terrain was open for the same number of days -- and under nearly identical weather. But in November 2002, Mountain High swarmed with almost 80,000 visits. Last November, the 290-acre ski area saw barely 42,000 visits.

The industry has seen two consecutive seasons of declining snowboarder visits and a host of other statistical warning signs. Last week an expert presented members of the National Ski Areas Association with research showing snowboarding not just leveling but falling.

While the 2011-12 season was the worst in 20 years, with declines in nearly every region and sector of snowsports, the sustained decrease in snowboarding stretches across several statistical points beyond visitation.

2012 snowboarders are older, from an average age of 23.5 in 1996-97 to 27.5 in 2010-11. They are spending fewer days on the hill: from a high of 7.6 days a season in 1996-97 to 6.1 days in 2010-11. For years, skiers averaged 5.7 days a season, and resort leaders expect snowboarding to continue its slide to a similar level of seasonal participation. And fewer snowboarders are buying boards, down from a record high of 556,055 in 2008 to 497,605 in 2011, according to data from Snowsports Industries America.

Perhaps mosttelling for the ski industry is the fact that the number of kids 14 and younger who first enter snowsports riding snowboards has steadily declined since 2003, from a peak of 42.3 percent of all 14-and-younger snowsports first-timers to a 12-year low of 35.7 percent in 2011.

The decline in snowboarding across every snowy region of the country has further fueled concerns in ski resort industry as the aging baby boomers who swamped skiing in the 1970s and '80s, leave the sport.

2011-2012 Season of Disappointments

2012-05-11T17:47:45Z

In the worst ski season in 20 years, nationally ski visits fell 16 percent to 51 million. Telluride, Eldora, Wolf Creek, Echo Mountain, Durango Mountain Resort and Aspen saw visitation remain similar to the record season of 2010-11. Wyoming and New Mexico -- home to Taos Ski Valley -- were the only states to show annual increases in visitation. Overall, the Rocky Mountain region, which includes Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, bested the national 16-percent decline with a mere 7.2 percent drop to 19.4 million visits. Resorts in California were on the other end, with visits plummeting more than 20 percent in a season that saw a first-ever snowless December.

]]> The 20-year low in visitation bucks the trend of a record streak that saw U.S. resorts posting three record showings in the last five seasons. Across the country, average snowfall at ski areas was down 41 percent , marking yet another record low in the last 20 years. Half of the country's resorts opened late with man-made snow and closed early in a sweltering March that saw ski-area temperatures reaching the 80s.

Still, the silver linings are evident. Lessons increased, as did overnight and international visitation. While season pass use declined, lift ticket yield increased. And best of all, season pass sales for 2012-13 -- sold in the spring and a financial bridge for resorts that typically slumber in summer -- appear to be stronger than last year's average of 9,500 pass sales per U.S. ski area.

Colorado 2011-2012 Ski Season Over

2012-05-09T21:40:38Z

Loveland Ski Area's season has called it quits, closing down a week early on April 29th. Loveland originally planned to end the season May 6, but the warm temperatures and a lack of snow prompted it to close one week early.

]]> Breckenridge also stopped running its lifts the last weekend of April, after starting them back up for some late-season skiing and riding this Friday through Sunday. Arapahoe Basin had said tentatively it would stay open until early June, but alas it too has closed for the season.

Wolf Creek Owner Hopes to Expand Area

2012-05-01T18:06:30Z

Pitcher, whose family has owned Wolf Creek Ski Area since he was a boy, is proposing a 1,000-acre, five-chairlift expansion plan that is both minimalist in its footprint and sweeping in its scope. The plan, which is has not been submitted to the National Forest Service for evaluation, is the largest proposed ski-area expansion in decades -- larger than Vail's Category III and even the 1989 China Bowl expansion.

]]> Pitcher is pushing his plan as "community service." It would improve skier movement across his mountain -- two of the proposed lifts would eliminate lengthy traverses that have long frustrated snowboarders -- as well as increase access to expert terrain.

He's also promising to protect the high-altitude environment. His proposal would not add any parking but would use shuttles to ferry visitors to his mountaintop ski area. He's not cutting new runs or building roads to install new lifts in the new terrain. He's ensuring no summer use at his ski area. He's ready to lock his sustainable plan into a sort of conservation easement for any future owners. And the plan is not dependent on any real estate development or significant increases in visitation.

But the expansion plan comes as Texas billionaire Red McCombs is again pushing his decades-old plan to develop a 1,711-unit village adjacent to the ski area. That plan -- currently part of a land-swap proposal with the Forest Service -- has vehement opposition from environmentalists.

Pitcher acknowledges the timing isn't great, but his plans have been in the works for several years. And Pitcher wanted to get his plan on record this spring before the Forest Service makes its final decision this winter on its long-pondered revision to the Land and Resource Management Plan for the San Juan National Forest.

Avy Airbags Saves Lives

2012-04-27T20:52:40Z

This ski season saw a high number of avalanche fatalities, but also some miraculous survival stories thanks to avy-safety technology. There seems to be no question that airbags saved several lives this season. But, they also failed to save a few, proving that they're not a guarantee in an avalanche.

]]> The best approach to surviving an avalanche is to avoid being caught in one. But some experts are concerned that the bags and other recent gear improvements are fostering a false sense of security and therefore inspiring people to travel into dangerous zones they wouldn't explore if they didn't have the packs

The weight of the ABS TwinBag system with both airbags is 2.28 lbs (1,035 grams). The activation unit with handle and carbon cartridge (which isn't yet available in North America) weighs 0.76 lbs (345 grams). The base unit with cover for shovel and probe weighs 2.47 lbs (1,120 grams). That's a total of 5.51 lbs (2,500 grams).

An important airbag innovation is in the activation of the system. Too many avalanche victims activate their bags too late or not at all as they are already in the downfall and cannot reach the activation handle any longer. ABS recognized this hazard and developed the Wireless Activation system that has been successful in many live situations. The Wireless Activation system is of particular importance to snowmobilers who may be unable to activate the trigger by removing their hands from the throttles in an emergency.

About 80 percent of all avalanche victims die because they were buried under the avalanche. The prevention of the "anchoring effect" in the solidification phase of the avalanche can also be further optimized. We are already working hard to further develop the technology to reduce the risk of anchoring. ABS avalanche airbags claim a 97 percent survival rate.

Ski Boot Trial Settles Quickly

2012-04-25T20:55:00Z

A Dublin trial was unexpectedly halted last week after the judge hearing the case said she had suffered a similar accident. The case was brought by a woman injured in a skiing accident, the plaintiff had sued Traveldev Ltd, trading as directski.com, after suffering a severe break to her ankle while on a skiing holiday in Lavigno, Italy, in February 2009.

]]> It was claimed that an instructor left Ms. Cleary "on the side of the mountain". She had no mobile phone with her and it was 45-60 minutes before a rescue team arrived. She received some treatment immediately and further treatment on her return to Ireland. Her ankle was in a plaster cast until the following April.

But the trial was halted during an opening statement by plaintiff's counsel who said it was alleged the defendant was negligent on several grounds, including that ski boots supplied to her should have opened when she fell on the slopes. Plaintiff argued she was not asked relevant questions about her skiing experience and other matters before being supplied with the skiing equipment at her resort. It was also claimed the boot mechanism should have been adjusted to suit her and to allow for release in the event of a fall.

As the lawyer outlined the law under which it was being claimed the travel company was liable, the judge said she was unaware until that point it was being claimed the accident was as a result of alleged failure of a boot to release. The judge shared that she had had a similar accident directly as a result of a boot not releasing and had to undergo major surgery.

Shortly after adjourning to allow the parties consider what the judge had said, the court was told by the plaintiff that the matter had been settled and could be struck out.

Looking Forward to Next Season

2012-04-19T19:01:42Z

Now that Steamboat has closed for the season, only Loveland and Arapahoe Basin hang on to a ski season to which many are all too happy to say good riddance. With Colorado's snowpack half its normal level, skier visits were down around 7 percent before a record dry March effectively killed the season.

]]> Final state and national skier visit numbers will not be available until June. But the expected decline is an 8 percent to 10 percent decrease in visits, which are levels that have not been seen by the state's 26 resorts to levels since the 1990s.

Nationally it looks like the ski industry will drop more than 15 percent, with visits plunging to near 50 million for the first time in 20 years. Michael Berry, president of the 321-resort National Ski Areas Association,

compared the nearly 10 million-visit drop nationwide to the season of 1980-81, when a dearth of snow in the Northeast, California and central Rockies rocked the industry.

The value of a skier visits is hard to determine, ranging in worth from a few bucks from the ski-area local to several thousand from the destination vacationer who stays in a luxury hotel and books private lessons. Boulder research firm RRC Associates' annual Snowsports Economic Analysis Report showed revenue per visit at resorts in the Rocky Mountain region was $84.51 in 2010-11.

Net income for ski-industry giant Vail Resorts' fiscal second quarter, which ended in January, dropped 15 percent on a 5.5 percent fall in revenues.

The tourist industry is the second largest industry in the state, and it is in large part comprised of skiing. A steep decline in skier visits has impact on the entire state economy.

Aspen SkiCo Sued for Dog Bite

2012-04-17T22:37:13Z

It is not the type of lawsuit you expect to arise from running a ski resort. But the Aspen Skiing Co. has been named in a lawsuit claiming that it kept a vicious dog that bit a woman at the Gondola Plaza. The plaintiff, an Aspen resident, filed her lawsuit Monday in Pitkin County District Court, with claims that she continues to receive treatment for medical issues connected to the dog bite, which happened Sept. 18th. She has had multiple surgeries to her hand and resulting staph infections because of the attack, the suit says. Her medical bills have exceeded $200,000, and she has suffered lost wages and other damages.

]]> In addition to SkiCo, three who were guests of the Skico-owned Little Nell hotel at the time of the incident have also been named as defendants. The two adults, Parr and Sarofim, are well-known in New York's social scene. Parr, a designer, has produced several motion pictures and owns an art gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Sarofim, his girlfriend, is an actress and a film producer.

The plaintiff was walking in the Gondola Plaza, near the outdoor tables at Starbucks, when a black Labrador named Babu Sarofim "leapt up from its position and lunged directly" at her, biting her left hand. The dog was on a leash at the time, the suit says, because the dog was known to its purported owners -- Parr and Sarofim -- to become unruly and surly when it was off-leash.

Babu was with Parr's daughter at the time, who remarked to Fischer after she was bitten that it was a "bad dog," the suit says. Following the attack, the daughter returned with Babu to The Little Nell, where the pet had previously been under the care of the hotel's dog-sitting services. The lawsuit claims that some hotel employees had known, before the alleged attack, that Babu had violent tendencies.

As such, "The Little Nell's Guide to Petiquette," a set of written policies governing pet care and behavior at the hotel, required that a problem dog such as Babu be removed from the premises or have a sitter with it at all times, the suit says. The Little Nell, however, failed to act on that policy, the suit alleges.

The complaint also alleges that there was an eyewitness to the biting -- a woman named Suzanne who called 911 and The Little Nell to report the incident. Plaintiff's counsel is anxious to locate this witness.
While Stuart Parr and Sarofim are believed to be co-owners of the dog, the custodial arrangement is not entirely clear. And of course, SkiCo could not comment about the suit.

Park City Sues Talisker, Canyons Resort Owner

2012-04-12T00:19:18Z

Now that this ski season is closing down, Park City closes after April 15th, things are really heating up at Park. Park City Mountain Resort has sued Talisker Land Holdings earlier this month over renegotiation of a long-term lease that expired in 2011. Talisker is a major landowner of PCMR, along with other property in the greater Park City area.

]]> Adding another aspect, Talisker also operates neighboring Canyons resort, a major rival of the neighboring PCMR. Talisker is no stranger to resort controversy, as it outmaneuvered Vail Resorts to purchased Canyons in 2007, with Vail unsuccessfully suing to prevent the sale. But Talisker hasn't learned much about operating neighboring ski resorts in a collaborative fashion, as Vail does with its handful of ski areas in Colorado.

PCMR has quickly taken the offensive, launching the website supportPCMR.com. The home page states: "Simply put, if we lose this suit, or an agreement isn't reached, Park City Mountain Resort will be forced to close." Canyons Managing Director Mike Goar, who is also the Talisker spokesman for the dispute, said the company was "shocked" over the lawsuit, and considers the lease negotiations as ongoing.

Some locals speculate that the controversy actually arises from the push to connect the neighboring ski resorts in the state - a concept gaining more serious discussion at higher levels than ever before. The lawsuit may be a maneuver to brake the forward momentum towards connectivity between the resorts.

Colorado Ski Season Ending with Record Fatality Count

2012-04-03T14:10:40Z

Last Friday, a 27-year-old man became the 20th ski fatality in Colorado this season. The skier was on a popular backcountry ski run on Buffalo Mountain, near Silverthorne, Colorado, after sliding about 1,500 feet down the steep gully. The victim was skiing the Silver Couloir with his brother and two friends when he apparently fell, eventually colliding with some rocks in the narrow gully.

]]> According to the Summit County Coroner's Office, Tim Brown, a forecaster with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center was skiing in the same area when the accident occurred. Brown said the accident was not the result of an avalanche.

According to the coroner's office, 36 members of the Summit County Rescue Group were called to try and evacuate the injured skier and the rest of the party. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was in progress when rescuers arrived on scene.

The Summit County Rescue Group was also assisted by Flight for Life Colorado, the Summit County Ambulance Service, and Lake Dillon Fire Rescue. The cause of death is blunt force trauma.

Too Many Skiing Seniors Stay Healthy

2012-03-30T14:17:07Z

The increased number of people remaining healthy and active into their 60s and 70s has caused rethinking of senior pass prices at Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort. There is no longer a silver pass for ages 62 to 69 or a golden pass for those 70 and older. Now there will be one senior pass, for those 65 and older, and it costs $399 if purchased by April 30.

]]> The price is $509 through Sept. 15 and will be $609 starting Sept. 16 through the 2012-2013 season, explained a ski area spokeswoman. Previously, the silver pass was $349 at the early-bird pricing; the golden pass for ages 70 and older had cost only $149 at early-bird pricing.

Current silver pass holders ages 62 to 64 can be "grandfathered" into the senior pricing structure if they renew their season pass for the 2012-2013 season. Even though they are not yet 65, if they are a current silver pass holder they will be offered the senior pass rate.

The new pricing and pass structure will go into effect for the 2012-2013 ski season. For comparison, an unlimited pass to Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin, known as the "Epic Pass," can be purchased at the early-season price of $369 for seniors 65 and older. And at Wolf Creek, seniors 65 and older may take turns all season long for $246 if a season pass is purchased before Oct. 1.

According to industry experts, skiers ages 66 and older average between 10 and 11 days per year at ski resorts in Colorado. The 56 to 65 demographic averages between eight and nine times a year. And that compares with only five to six times a year average for all skiers 46 and younger.

And is not just improved health that allows seniors to continue enjoying the sport. Mountain grooming and new technology have also contributed to the accessibility of skiing for seniors.

Dangers of Poor Conditions

2012-03-27T22:52:07Z

A 37-year-old man hit a tree and died last Wednesday night at Skibowl in Oregon. The Skibowl Operations manager said the man was with friends and had skied into a tree well and struck the tree. He had been skiing with friends since about 5 p.m. He did not meet the group at the end of a run and they started a search. Emergency crews were dispatched at about 7:50 p.m. The Ski Patrol found him about ten minutes after the accident. They tried CPR but could not revive him.

]]> And a 19-year-old Kansas State student was skiing with friends when he hit a tree at the Wolf Creek Ski Area in southwestern Colorado. The accident happened Saturday on a green run. The victim was skiing without a helmet.

A nurse happened upon the accident scene almost immediately and rendered aid. The ski patrol was alerted and arrived shortly. Attempts at CPR all the way down the slope failed. An autopsy was planned for Monday.

It is hard to know precisely why each accident occurred, but given the poor ski conditions experienced at many resorts this year it may be icy trails contributed to the loss of control. The Kansas State college student is the 19th ski or snowboarding-related fatality this season. Just two weeks ago the state broke the unofficial record of 17 deaths set in 2008, with two deaths the week of March 15th.

No champagne powder - but "champagne sled" on Ajax

2012-03-22T21:22:20Z

Pitkin County officials signed off on a portable "champagne sled" bar for Aspen mountain, which will serve bubbly to guests on various ski runs. The SkiCo launched a promotion over the Presidents Day weekend, through The Little Nell hotel and Veuve Clicquot champagne, where skiers could find the moveable bar's location on social networking sites. But the company hadn't yet received a liquor license from the county for a portable bar, so it had to be parked at the top of the Ajax Express lift adjacent to the Sundeck.

]]> The county commissioners convened a brief special meeting earlier this month, where they approved the liquor license application. But Commissioner George Newman opposed the approval, expressing concern about drunken skiing on Aspen Mountain and bewilderment at the SkiCo's logic. He noted recent SkiCo attempts to limit alcohol consumption at Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro, on Aspen Highlands, and concern about the addition of more alcohol on Ajax.

SkiCo's lawyer argued that the company doesn't expect skiers to be binge drinking to intoxication at the pop-up bars. And at $15 a glass, the champagne bars will be cost prohibitive for a younger, presumably harder-partying skier demographic, he said. He also countered that the skill level of drinkers was not a concern for the company.

A press release on the portable bar, officially named "The Oasis," described it thus: "The stylish pop-up bar will be adorned in the champagne house's iconic yellow color. The bar will feature umbrellas, lounge chairs, a solar-powered sound system, flags and other eye-catching features that will make The Oasis stand out in the white snow."

Three Skier Deaths in Two Days

2012-03-20T22:29:21Z

Three people have died in ski accidents in California in only two days. The huge dumping of snow from a recent storm provided the conditions which contributed to each fatality.

]]> In Lake Tahoe, a 54-year-old skier died Sunday after falling into a deep hole created by an underflow of water, according to the El Dorado County sheriff's office. The man was skiing in an expert area at Sierra at Tahoe Resort when the accident occurred. Other skiers found him but he wasn't breathing at the time and couldn't be revived, the sheriff's office reported.

On Monday, a 20-year-old Sugar Bowl ski resort employee was killed when he fell into a tree well while snowboarding with friends on a double-black diamond, or expert, run, authorities said. Placer County sheriff's deputies said the accident occurred about 2:30 p.m. on Strawberry Fields in the Lake Tahoe area. The young man's friends found him trapped in a tree well, a deep hole that snow had formed around a tree.

And on Monday, a 30-year-old man was snowboarding in a wide open area at China Peak Mountain Resort in Lakeshore in Fresno County when he fell face-first into new snow and couldn't dig himself out. Several minutes passed before anybody saw him and despite administering CPR, nobody could revive him.

These tragic deaths all too well illustrate the cardinal rule of never skiing alone - even on a single trail. When suffocating under snow, minutes matter and you need someone by your side immediately to rescue you from the peril.

Derby Crash Sends 5 to Hospital

2012-03-20T22:25:13Z

Three adults and two children are recovering from injuries they suffered in an accident at the Wisp ski resort in western Maryland last weekend. Resort spokeswoman Lori Epp says they were participants in the annual Cardboard Box Derby on Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club and is a fundraiser for the club's blind skier program..

]]> But the derby entry carried 14 people riding in the cardboard vessel that veered out of the snow-tubing lanes and crashed into metal pipes supporting a snow-making machine. The five unidentified victims were taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va.

It just doesn't sound like a good idea to have 14 people in any conveyance that is uncontrolled, heading down a snow-packed hill.