74-year-old ‘lifelong’ skier dies on first run of the day at Washington resort, cops say
A 74-year-old man died at a Washington ski resort after falling head-first into snow, deputies said.
The man was with his brother and friend March 13 at Stevens Pass Ski Area, the King County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.
The men started on a blue run, an intermediate-level slope, deputies said.
Within minutes of getting off the lift, the 74-year-old “skied towards a few minor bumps just off the groomed area,” deputies said.
Someone on the ski lift saw him fall head-first into deep snow, deputies said.
His brother and friend rushed to help the “lifelong” skier, but he was unresponsive so ski patrol called 911, deputies said.
Ski patrol performed life-saving measures on him at the slope until paramedics arrived.
He was taken to an aid room at the resort where first responders tried to help him for over an hour before he died, deputies said.
The skier died from a head and neck injury, and his death was ruled accidental, according to an King County Medical Examiner.
Stevens Pass Ski Area is in Skykomish, which is about a 65-mile drive east from Seattle.
This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 10:35 AM with the headline "74-year-old ‘lifelong’ skier dies on first run of the day at Washington resort, cops say."
