A skier has died in the area of double-black extreme terrain at Breckenridge Resort, per a report from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

The fatal incident took place on March 11, with deputies receiving a report of a skier crash that had occurred in the Lake Chutes area at about 1:30 p.m. At that time, CPR was being conducted on the male out-of-state skier, though life-saving attempts were ultimately unsuccessful and the skier was pronounced deceased at Breckenridge Resort’s Peak 8 First Aid Room.

The visiting skier was reportedly alone at the time the fatal fall occurred with a bystander who witnessed the crash being the first to contact ski patrol. The skier who died was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. No other skiers or riders were involved.

The Lake Chutes area where the crash occurred is often referred to as the most technical and dangerous terrain at Breckenridge Resort. It’s hike-to only and accessed via the Imperial Express SuperChair, which drops skiers and snowboarders off well-above treeline at 12,840 feet – the highest ski lift in North America. The hike to the Lake Chutes area means bootpacking from the top of the lift to the Peak 8 summit, located at roughly 13,000 feet above sea level, and then briefly traversing toward Peak 9.

Some sources describe the Lake Chutes runs as having a pitch of 55 degrees – extremely steep, with runs also including a drop-in from a large cornice and plenty of terrain hazards. The specific run that the skier was on when the crash occurred was not detailed in the report from local law enforcement.

Condolences go out to those impacted by this skier’s death.

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