Deadly collision

Here is another interesting ski related verdict, unfortunately it involves snowboarders again;

pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/0641-pri...ing-fatal-avalanche/

My thoughts are that this is a pretty harsh punishment for those guys, heck I think all of us have made bad decisions when we were their age, but it probably will send a good message of responsibility as well. I also can't help but think the guide shares in some of the responsibility.

I'll assume that the boarders were breaking the area rules and that's why they were found guilty, but...

Speaking of 'bad decisions,' who decided to take a group of kids skiing below an avy slope? Isn't the guide partly responsible for the accident due to route choice? If the avy danger was so obvious, why did the guide take kids out at all, and why didn't the ski area do control work on a slope that threatened an established run?

I'm just saying that when the bullets are already flying, it's foolish not to take precautions.

That's a valid point. I'm starting to consider getting a helmet for in-bounds skiing. My gut argues against it, but my rational side admits that times have changed and the people around me are skiing faster than they used to. My wife and son both wear helmets.

It seems to me there must be unknown factors. I've had one close call that could have seriously injured the victim had she not stood up at the last minute. I will admit that I probably snowboarding to fast for the conditions, which was mainly poor visibility. However the lucky victim was stopped sitting down in the middle of the run on the downslope of a knoll. There was no way to see here, until it was to late. In a situation like this I think common sense has a big fatcor. Some posted that the person that get rear ended is never at fault. That may true, but you cant stop in the middle of the freeway and expect it not to happen. Anyone have any more details to what actually happen?

I tire of the car analogy. If the ski area were a freeway, then there would be many cars just randomly stopped everywhere. Other cars would be erratically swerving from the far left lane to the far right lane and back again without looking. Cars would suddenly flip over for no reason. Best of all, if you hit any of them, it would be your fault. Now, if you were on a freeway like this, would you still drive 70 mph?

I got nailed from behind by a 250# "teenaged" boarder last season - in Iceberg Gulch aka Middle Ferks - he fell 150 feet above me and took another 200 feet to stop himself after taking out me and another skiier. I had a pack with my shovel and probe on my back and I am sure they saved me from internal organ injury - had never been hit so hard in my life. I am still sore from the accident. I had a helmet on too.

Skiers code of conduct also mentions ski in control at all times and dont ski runs which are above your ability.

If you are in a collision - you should get witnesses and take down the name and number of the person who hit you.

Crystal can take down the name of the person and issue a warning - even for reckless near-misses - if he/she does it again they can take his/her pass - put him/her in time out, or ban him/her from the slope.

My kids have helmets for climbing and skiing.

www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_01080...update.1ea61192.html

Skier killed by boarder, sheriff confirms
Monday, January 8, 2007
By kgw.com and AP Staff

It was definitely a snowboarder that killed a skier in a collision at Mt. Hood Meadows on Friday, Hood River Sheriff's authorities said Monday, after questions surfaced over whether a snowboarder or perhaps another skier was to blame. No eye witnesses to the crash have come forward, but those who were close by heard the collision and looked to see what had happened; they told authorities the collision was between a skier and a snowboarder who claimed he was going to get help. The snowboarder did not return.

A lift attendant reported a male snowboarder saying someone was injured on the mountain, but the snowboarder never mentioned that he had been involved in the crash, according to the Hood River County Sheriff's Office. Authorities would like to question the snowboarder involved. On monday, Hood River County D.A. John Sewell said it was unclear if any charges would be sought. "It's premature at this point to say if anyone will or will not face criminal charges," he said.

Geoffry Scott Bradeen, 45, was discovered lying in the snow by passing skiers and snowboarders at about 9:45 a.m. Friday near the top of the North Canyon run at the Mt. Hood Meadows ski resort, according to Deputy Matt English of the Hood River County Sheriff's Office. Another skier called 911, and dispatchers notified the Mt. Hood Meadows ski patrol office.

English said it appeared that Bradeen may have fallen and was hit by a snowboarder as he attempted to get up. He said it was possible the snowboarder might have been scared off when he returned and found sheriff's deputies at the scene. "At this point, we don't believe there was anything criminal," English said. "There are no known witnesses to the actual collision, but we are interested in obtaining a statement from the unidentified snowboarder that left the scene."

Bradeen suffered head injuries in the collision and was pronounced dead at the resort's medical clinic by an assistant Hood River County medical examiner, who happened to be skiing Friday. Bradeen was not wearing a helmet. It was not known if Bradeen had gone to the mountain with family or friends, or was skiing alone. Dave Riley, general manager for the resort, said two people died in skiing accidents during the 2005 season. None died last year, he said. "Anytime something like this happens, it's a tragedy," Riley said. "Our hearts go out to the man's family."

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This incident had escaped my notice until I read Dave Riley's blog today, which mentions the accident and discusses ski area safety issues (including Meadows' strict new ticket/pass pulling policies implemented even prior to this accident). A Google news search found the story above, along with this article about ANOTHER skier hit by someone just a week earlier at Meadows, causing multiple skull fractures and spinal fluid leaking from an ear:
www.newhousenews.com/archive/tomlinson011207.html

Very scary stuff . . . just one of the reasons I've worn a helmet EVERY DAY at ski areas since about 5 years ago. I originally bought the helmet because I tend to ski at high speed and feared hitting a fixed object, but the likelihood of being hit by someone else is probably higher for me now, as I've eased up on the throttle over the years and the number of others flying by at high speed has definitely increased. I do also wear the helmet most of the time in the backcountry, especially if skiing trees or anyplace with rockfall hazard.