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Snowmass Slide Claims Local Skier
By J.D. O'Connor
December 27, 2006
Compiled from staff and wire reports
The first fatal avalanche of the 2006/07 season claimed the life of a local man who died while skiing the Lower Ladder section of the Hanging Valley Wall at Snowmass Ski Area. An area spokesman said the skier apparently entered an area closed due to the potential for avalanche hazard.
Nicholas "Blake" Davidson, 25, died of asphyxia after he was caught up in a slide at the area last Thursday. He was reportedly jumping off cliffs when the avalanche caught him about 1:10 p.m. Rescuers located and extracted him within twenty minutes but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Ladder area is within the Snowmass Ski Area boundary, but it was closed at the time of the accident, according to a statement released by the Aspen Skiing Co. A company spokesman said the area was clearly marked as closed but that two sets of ski tracks could be seen entering the area.
"The evidence shows that after skiing past the closed sign at the entrance to Rayburn's Chute, two sets of tracks lead into the chute 20 and 35 feet below the sign. These are the only tracks in Rayburn's Chute."
"After traversing a rocky cliff band, the skiers halted, Davidson launched from a knoll in the closed area, landing below the cliffs also in a closed area," the statement continued. "The resulting avalanche ran down the chute, into an open area where additional ski tracks could be seen. These tracks were in an open area accessed by traversing from Lower Ladder.
The Aspen Skiing Co. said its staff was "truly saddened by this incident and will do everything we can to help [Davidson's] family through these trying times."
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