A skier in closed terrain caused a slide today at Steamboat Resort

December 28, 2024 Shannon Lukens

By Shannon Lukens. (Courtesy picture from Steamboat Resort Trail Safety video.)

A skier triggered a snowslide today in Christmas Tree Bowl, which is an area that is not open right now at Steamboat Resort. The skier went under the rope. That skier told a lift operator about the snowslide who reported it to Steamboat Ski Patrol.

No one was caught in the slide but ski patrollers didn’t know that so they had to go over to the closed area to make sure no one was caught or injured. This put the patrollers at risk according to Steamboat Resort spokesperson Loryn Duke, who explains what happened and why it is so important that people don’t do this.

“On Dec. 28, a skier self-reported a human-triggered slide in Christmas Tree Bowl. The most important thing is that nobody was injured or hurt. But Christmas Tree Bowl along with the hike-to terrain is still currently closed at the resort. So this is a really important reminder that it is not OK to duck ropes or ski or ride on closed terrain.

This incident had significant impacts on the resort today.

It is a busy holiday period and we had to pull critical patrol resources away from the resort in order to investigate what had happened in this closed terrain and to ensure that no lives were at risk in this area.

So it is absolutely important that people respect closures.

There are so many different things going on here. Not only is the terrain unstable for anybody who may consider going into a closed trail, but you’re putting patrol at risk when they have to be in that area. You’re preventing the necessary work that patrol needs to do in order to open that area. And, the really worse-case scenario is that you’re potentially creating tracks or somebody who is not as knowledgeable as you to think that it’s OK to ski and ride in that terrain.

So we are taking duck-roping incredibly seriously, maybe more so than any other year. And there are graves consequences if somebody is caught ducking a rope or skiing and riding in closed terrain.

So respect the closures, respect the patrol, and let’s all be safe out there.”

Duke says they do not know who went out of bounds and caused the snowslide because the lift operator did not get his name. But she says there will be serious consequences if anyone else ducks a rope or goes out of bounds and they are caught.

Video from Steamboat Ski Patrol about Trail Safety

Colorado Avalanche Information Center says there is an Avalanche Warning in the Steamboat Springs area, including the Park Range and Elkhead Mountains through 5 p.m. this Monday.

“Heavy snow and strong winds are resulting in very dangerous avalanche conditions. Avalanches will release naturally, especially on easterly slopes near and above treeline. Backcountry travelers can trigger large, wide, and dangerous avalanches that break into the snowpack two feet deep or more. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended during this time.”