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Reckless skiing goes unchecked by ski patrol

Almost 10 years ago I was hit by a high-speed skier at Aspen Highlands. My injuries were devastating, my right leg was crushed from the knee down, I had multiple surgeries and almost a year of recovery.

Recently, my oldest daughter almost experienced the same type collision. A high-speed, out-of-control skier nearly hit her along with several other family members.

She complained to ski patrol, pointed out the offender to ski patrol, who promptly did nothing. They said she should be looking behind her for uphill skiers while skiing.



Isn’t one of the primary rules of skiing that the downhill skier has the right of way and the uphill skier should ski in control? Obviously, that is not the case with the ski patrol, and we are now required to have eyes in the back of our heads while skiing downhill.

For years the ski patrol has looked to other way while reckless skiers terrorize the mountains. When my husband complained about the young man (a local high school student) that hit me from behind, the ski patrol’s response was “give ‘em a break, they’re just kids.”




Maybe there should be loss of skiing privileges for these reckless skiers. It is Skico and ski patrol’s responsibility to keep our mountains safe for everyone. It appears that after 10 years, nothing has changed — they are still not doing their job.

Barbara Findlay

Snowmass