Death at Stratton

[MadMadWorld]

You do realize it will be reported to him right?

 

[Gilligan]

Yup a new low. :lol: called someone their first name who's trolled for years on this forum without care for pissing anyone off and now he's crying about it. Shame on me

Delete his post if you do not like it. What you are doing is making things worse, not better.

 

[Tin]

Bravo Deadhead.

Me thinky Gilligan might also be named Kevin. ;-)

 

[MadMadWorld]

I think it's making it much better.

 

[Gilligan]

Bravo Deadhead.

Me thinky Gilligan might also be named Kevin. ;-)

Checking my old posts would quickly convince anyone that I most certainly am not HS.

 

[bobbutts]

DHS has always been a douche bag. What a load of crap about the sensitivity for this dead kid that started this whole thing.

 

[thetrailboss]

DHS has always been a douche bag. What a load of crap about the sensitivity for this dead kid that started this whole thing.

Wow, really? A kid died. Thoughts and prayers for the family is appropriate--not slamming the deceased.

 

[skiNEwhere]

What's the point of speculation if it can't be proven? How is anyone learning from anything? It's sad all around and making speculation that may or may not be true doesn't help....anything

It is sad, and should be left at that

 

[BenedictGomez]

Speaking of "speculation", is there anything more than that at this point? Usually we know something by now. While these deaths are always (obviously) tragic, I do like to know how/why they occurred, to perhaps learn something of the matter.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Yet to see any follow up reports. All of them say pretty much the same thing from yesterday

 

[C-Rex]

I'm not defending HS posting the links, I wouldn't have done that, BUT... Saying this kid made a mistake is not an insult to the deceased. We all do it. The best skiers and riders in the world do it, and often. It doesn't imply that he was stupid or ignorant, or anything like that. It just means that he made a move, probably with the best intentions, and it didn't work out. It's a tragedy that it cost him his life, but that's the way the world is. Saying that he MAY have been responsible for his own death is not disrespectful, and it's ridiculously over-sensitive to view it that way.

For the record: If I die on the mountain (I really can't think of a better place, I just hope it's not too soon), feel free to call it like it is. If I effed-up, I effed-up. I don't claim to be perfect. We all take risks, sometimes in the name of progression, sometimes in the name of glory. Statistically, they can't all work out. The best we can do is make an educated calculation of that risk and do our best to minimize it. As long as we take those risks knowingly, no one can tell us we're fools.

 

[C-Rex]

Speaking of "speculation", is there anything more than that at this point? Usually we know something by now. While these deaths are always (obviously) tragic, I do like to know how/why they occurred, to perhaps learn something of the matter.

I agree, I'd like to learn something from it. I'd like to know if he was wearing a helmet, if speed was an issue, etc. Just saying he died snowboarding does nothing but put a black mark on the sport and the resort. It's important to know the facts.

Sorry for the double post.

 

[drjeff]

I agree, I'd like to learn something from it. I'd like to know if he was wearing a helmet, if speed was an issue, etc. Just saying he died snowboarding does nothing but put a black mark on the sport and the resort. It's important to know the facts.

Sorry for the double post.

That's the thing with these unfortunate events. Unless a criminal case is pursued, you rarely hear the surrounding facts associated with what happened on the hill, unless the family chooses to release them and a media outlet has enough interest to run the story. And for many obvious reasons the family who lost a loved one often doesn't choose to release that information to a media outlet.

Even if you say know a patroller who was there, for patient confidentiality reasons, you often won't get more than a moderate account of what happened, since #1 if a patroller is on scene, they're far more concerned with attending to the injured person than taking into account the surrounding scene and potential scenario that caused it

 

[dlague]

I have been curious about how this could have happened in this area and how the trial signs are setup along that trail. I have never skied there so I am blind with the exception of a trail map that shows that as a green area where this tragic incident took place. I did find a video that shows that trail and the signs are some times padded and other times not. The trail does slant a little which can be problematic for beginner snowboarders.

I hope know one objects to me posting the video but I think helps to under stand the where! Ursa Access to 91 and the 91 trail.

 

[fbrissette]

I agree, I'd like to learn something from it. I'd like to know if he was wearing a helmet, if speed was an issue, etc. Just saying he died snowboarding does nothing but put a black mark on the sport and the resort. It's important to know the facts.

I agree. Digging into the details is a necessary evil IMO. If you follow avalanche forums/websites, the same debate occurs after every death. Learning from other's mistakes is important to improve awareness. Most avalanche deaths result from series of mistakes and I think the same would apply to most ski resorts deaths (speed, snow conditions, skier traffic, bad positioning of trail signs, helmet, etc...).

I don't think it is disrespectful to second guess actions once you have facts. I feel real bad that our sport has taken another life, but learning from this sad event might end up helping save another life down the road.

 

[tekweezle]

We won't know the detail until someone who witnessed it comes forward. I skied past the scene as the ski patrol was tending to the fallen boarder. I believe the accident occurred at the sign around the 2 minute 36 second point in the video.

I don't believe the snowboarder could have been going fast. It's possible that either he snowboarded too close to the edge/lip and fell forward into the sign or trees or maybe even got clipped from behind by someone who was moving faster than him. I believe he was on the south side of the trail under the sign.

There was a snowboard that was lying at the bottom of the trail(it starts to get steeper at that point) . Could have been the fallen snowboarder's, someone at the scene or a ski patrol persons.

You'll notice in the video before the 2 minute 36 mark, the video Grapher slows down-it's really flat and slightly up hill so it would be hard to fly down that stretch unless you already had a head of steam. That's something a beginner snowboarder wouldn't be able to do in my opinion.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[thetrailboss]

I agree. Digging into the details is a necessary evil IMO. If you follow avalanche forums/websites, the same debate occurs after every death. Learning from other's mistakes is important to improve awareness. Most avalanche deaths result from series of mistakes and I think the same would apply to most ski resorts deaths (speed, snow conditions, skier traffic, bad positioning of trail signs, helmet, etc...).

I don't think it is disrespectful to second guess actions once you have facts. I feel real bad that our sport has taken another life, but learning from this sad event might end up helping save another life down the road.

Right, but that is NOT what was happening here.

 

[Highway Star]

We won't know the detail until someone who witnessed it comes forward. I skied past the scene as the ski patrol was tending to the fallen boarder. I believe the accident occurred at the sign around the 2 minute 36 second point in the video.

I don't believe the snowboarder could have been going fast. It's possible that either he snowboarded too close to the edge/lip and fell forward into the sign or trees or maybe even got clipped from behind by someone who was moving faster than him. I believe he was on the south side of the trail under the sign.

There was a snowboard that was lying at the bottom of the trail(it starts to get steeper at that point) . Could have been the fallen snowboarder's, someone at the scene or a ski patrol persons.

You'll notice in the video before the 2 minute 36 mark, the video Grapher slows down-it's really flat and slightly up hill so it would be hard to fly down that stretch unless you already had a head of steam. That's something a beginner snowboarder wouldn't be able to do in my opinion.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the details. Looks like a mixed use connector trail similar to many at Killington (GE, GN, Bear Cub, etc). IMHO, first day skiers and snowboarders have no business being on this type of terrain. Being able to control speed while dealing with other skier traffic is critical on a narrow trail such as this. Most mountain's beginner programs keep people on specific beginner slopes until they are ready for the rest of the mountain and it's hazards.

 

[drjeff]

We won't know the detail until someone who witnessed it comes forward. I skied past the scene as the ski patrol was tending to the fallen boarder. I believe the accident occurred at the sign around the 2 minute 36 second point in the video.

I don't believe the snowboarder could have been going fast. It's possible that either he snowboarded too close to the edge/lip and fell forward into the sign or trees or maybe even got clipped from behind by someone who was moving faster than him. I believe he was on the south side of the trail under the sign.

There was a snowboard that was lying at the bottom of the trail(it starts to get steeper at that point) . Could have been the fallen snowboarder's, someone at the scene or a ski patrol persons.

You'll notice in the video before the 2 minute 36 mark, the video Grapher slows down-it's really flat and slightly up hill so it would be hard to fly down that stretch unless you already had a head of steam. That's something a beginner snowboarder wouldn't be able to do in my opinion.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

You also have to remember, as was the case with Actress Nastasia Henstridge (?sp) who was killed after a fall on the beginner slope at I believe Mount Tremblant, a few years ago. She was a beginner, not going very fast, but fell in a way and hit her head that caused some bleeding on her brain, which increased the pressure inside of her skull before it could be relieved at a trauma center and caused her passing. Sometimes it not the speed that is the issue, but just a weird way that a person falls that is what lead to the unfortunate event

 

[ScottySkis]

Another sad day, all prayers and thoughts to his family and friends.