Helmeted skier was on a difficult trail; Mercy Flights helicopter responded 

Ashland.news staff report

A 76-year-old man died after colliding with a tree at Mt. Ashland Ski Area on Friday morning, according to a ski area news release. The helmeted skier, whose name was not released, was on Windsor Chairline, a trail categorized as “most difficult,” the release said.

The ski area ski patrol responded to the scene and began lifesaving efforts. Ashland Fire & Rescue ulcer also responded, as did a Mercy Flights helicopter. The man was pronounced deceased in the ski area’s medical room.

“Our team is heartbroken by this loss,” said Andrew Gast, Mt. Ashland’s general manager. “The Mt. Ashland community is tight-knit, and we share a deep bond with everyone connected to our mountain. We are incredibly grateful to our dedicated staff, ski patrollers, Ashland Fire & Rescue, and Mercy Flights for their swift and compassionate response. On behalf of our entire team, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends grieving during this difficult time.”

Mt. Ashland Ski Area is owned and operated by the 501(c)3 nonprofit Mt. Ashland Association under a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service. Its mission is to provide and promote healthy alpine recreation.

Other deaths at the ski area in recent years include a 70-year-old who died of a “cardiac incident” on Upper Romeo trail in 2023; a 71-year-old man who went missing from the ski area and was found dead in the intersection of Dream and Rodger’s Way trails in 2022; and the death of 23-year-old ski patrol member Johnathan Patrick Likeke Walker, 23, in 2019, after skiing into a  tree well.

Source: Mt. Ashland Ski Area news release, Ashland.news archives. Email Ashland.news at news@ashland.news.