Fewer Skiers, Fewer Avalanches - But Colorado's Trauma Deaths Held Steady

"Of the 13 total deaths that occurred in-bounds at Colorado ski resorts, 9 of them were trauma-related, according to a Colorado Sun report by Jason Blevins. All 9 trauma-related deaths came from collisions with trees or falls; none came from collisions with other skiers. All were wearing helmets at the time of each accident."

"Cardiac events made up the remaining four fatalities. While cardiac events remain one of the leading causes of deaths at ski resorts overall, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) does not count them in slope fatality statistics. Recent research has also shown that cardiac arrests are comparatively rare at ski resorts in comparison to the general population."

"While the 2025-26 number is the same as last year, it will ultimately result in a higher fatality rate for Colorado as skier visits are dramatically down for the Rockies. Vail Resorts' CEO Robert Katz stated that Vail Resorts saw a decline of 25% in skier visits for its resorts in the Rockies. In addition, Colorado typically has multiple avalanche deaths while this year only one of the deaths was caused by an avalanche."

"In the 10 years leading up to last season, Colorado had on average five avalanche deaths per year. This implies that the number of trauma-related deaths this season is higher than one would have anticipated. Of the 58 deaths that have occurred over the past four seasons, 34 have been from trauma forces, making it the leading cause of death at Colorado ski resorts."

Colorado’s snow-starved 2025-26 season produced fewer skier visits, limited avalanche activity, and reduced backcountry traffic. Thirteen in-bounds deaths occurred at Colorado ski resorts, with nine classified as trauma-related. All nine trauma-related deaths involved collisions with trees or falls, and none involved collisions with other skiers. All victims were wearing helmets at the time of the accidents. The remaining four fatalities were cardiac events. Ski resort deaths have declined over the past three seasons, with 17 deaths in 2022-23, 15 in 2023-24, and 13 in 2024-25 and 2025-26. Despite fewer visits and fewer avalanche deaths, trauma-related deaths remained the leading cause over recent seasons.

Read at SnowBrains