Death in Breck Terrain Park

AdrenalineGarage · 2008-01-22 12:19:14

Stay safe. Snowboarder killed at Breckenridge ID'd as Kansas doctor The Associated Press Article Last Updated: 01/21/2008 12:50:30 PM MST <div class="articleViewerGroup" id="articleViewerGroup" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-align: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; float: right; width: 0px !important; margin-right: 200px !important; margin-left: 10px !important; "> BRECKENRIDGE, Colo.—A 33-year-old snowboarder who was killed in an accident at Breckenridge Ski Resort has been identified as James McLean, a doctor from Leawood, Kan. Summit County Coroner Joanne Richardson says McLean died of a fractured neck when he landed on his head after going airborne at the ski area's terrain park on Sunday. Richardson says McLean was wearing a helmet. A spokesman for University of Kansas Medical Center says McLean was a resident there and was board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Microcosm

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Sad to hear. Positive vibes.

Jan 22 2008 6:20PM

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snowbladesforlife

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Freeway doesn't need a park pass. Most gapers too intimidated to go in there.Â I also feel like there is self policing going on, and I have seen the park crew people kick gapers out.Â Some people are just stupid though and their untimely death is inevitable.Â I have seen some southern talking, hick kids trying to just tap the 34 stair rail there, with no intent to slide it.Â In 2005 someone died on that exact rail and they nubbed the rail, I don't know the circumstances, but I am assuming he wasn't from Breck.Â All I am trying to say is if you are from Texas or Kansas please don't go to Summit County.Â I can see your stupidity from hundreds of yards away just by the sight of your Jayhawks Starter jacket.Â Oh and fuck Oklahoma too.

Jan 22 2008 6:29PM

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Microcosm

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sorry double post but speaking of patrol do they monitor the parks at all? I say this because I was at Killington the other day and I saw a patroller skiing through the park looking around and stuff. I guess it's comforting to know that it seemed like he was looking for anyone who could have gotten hurt with no one there to get them help.

Jan 22 2008 6:29PM

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HappyTreez

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RIP
As much as this was an unfortunate accident that likely has the authorities looking for explanations and faults of the resort, i dont think it will have a huge impact on the way terrain parks are built or maintained (at least in colorado). Colorado's skier safety act includes terrain parks as an inherent risks of skiing and releases the resort from liability of the accident.
From my experiences at breck it is the best maintained park i have ever skied, so it was likely that the accident was the skier's inexperience/mistake that caused his death...not problems with the terrian park itself or unsafe features.

Jan 22 2008 6:53PM

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Brimstone

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People die doing much more mundane things than hitting jumps in a park. Accidents happen and they are statistically unavoidable. This dude was probably trying to push his limits as each of us do when we hit the hill. Everyone whose hit a 10ft, 30ft or 60ft table had to it for the first time. Each of us knows the risk and it's up to our own conscience to manage it. We've all had those 'OH SHIT' moments where we had no idea what was going to happen when we hit the ground. Reminds me of a quote from Top Gun 'You're ego is writing checks your body can't cash', it happens to most if not all of us, he just drew the short straw. RIP dude.

BTW, my 2 cents on the park policing discussion: The scariest thing I've seen are the near collisions on jump landings. I haven't seen a full blown collision but the 2 near misses I've seen would have been catastrophic. Injuring yourself on a rail/jump is your own fault but if some clown wanders into the landing area then it becomes another issue. There are signs and ropes everywhere but we, the 'experienced' park users and/or the park staff need to do a better job of, politely and if needed rudely, informing people of the hazards especially when we see the potential for it.

Peace

Jan 22 2008 7:12PM

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flatlander08

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everyone has had that feeling that they are invincible... or they can stomp a landing off of a huge kicker.
Its whats going on in the mentals when you are approaching that jump thats important... if you are not fully commited... your gonna crash... even when you are fully commited... you might crash. Its a risk.. he took it and he got pwned big time for lack of better word.

No one knows what was going on in his head.. was he commited to the jump... his previous experience... etc. I hate that they based it on the fact that he was from a flat land state... I am... but I been skiing since I was 4 when I lived up north. When I tell people I am from SC.. they think instantly I cant ski worth a damn and shouldnt be pushing over to the park area. But I know my ability.. and my limits.
Its a risk, its a risk, its a risk... some people get scared from 1 foot kickers... others only get scared when something is 40 feet tall... some have zero fear. No falls no balls. Those who sue ski resorts.. shouldnt even get out of their SUV in the parking lot... god forbid they slip and fall on a piece of ice in the parking lot.
Our sport is a risk... thats it. When your number is up.. its up.. KNOW YOUR SKILL!

damn Im getting frustrated just typing in my opinion.
If he is a total beginner... I got no respect.. he got dealt the ace of spades. DONE.

Jan 22 2008 7:14PM

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Inbred_Redneck

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Accidents will happen. Be it a gaper or a pro, just look at Tanner, Candide, and Simon...accidents will happen regardless of ability. Thats what we all agree to when we click in, that we can get injured or die at almost any time. Gonna take this quote from STEEP: "If theres no risk, then theres no adventure."

Jan 22 2008 7:25PM

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Samsquanch

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Ive only been there for a couple of days but i saw that the park crew was a;ways on there fixing things, im not sure if i saw any ski patrol in there

Jan 22 2008 7:28PM

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solitaryman

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.

Jan 22 2008 7:42PM

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poofartpee

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lets hope this doesnt make resorts go in the direction of RCR

Jan 22 2008 7:53PM

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GetPitted

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RIP

Jan 22 2008 7:57PM

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Lemuel

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that sucks dude. RIP. another reason not to snowboard other than breaking my arm trying to snowboard for the first time

Jan 22 2008 8:09PM

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Mr.LemonPie

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A park pass would not have made a difference here. The reason for that is because the jumps that would be on a park pass would be freeway. Park lane would still be open to public, so even if there was a park pass he wouldn't have had to do get it to hit those jumps.

Jan 22 2008 11:40PM

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Adrenaline

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It doesn't reduce the liability, in fact in many states, the season pass waiver, competition waivers and park pass waivers hold no legal standing anymore. And if a parent signs one for a minor, at least in utah, it doesn't mean shit.

Jan 23 2008 1:23AM

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fk.ths.noys

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so yeah. it happened on the second jump in Park Lane, like a 20-footer. He had to have juiced his speed between the 1st and 2nd, and hard. Because i have hit it with what i consider full speed, and overshot it as well, but still remained on the landing. From what i understand, he landed completely on the flats, on his head, with a helmet. To have such a misjudgment of speed on the second smallest jump in that park, like the 5th smallest at all of Breck, i have to assume inexperience.

This death is a tragedy, nobody wants to see that somewhere you go everyday.

I agree with the general opinion. There should be some way of keepin those people out of the park. Most of the time they just take a digger and learn the lesson, but there is the risk of serious injury,, always. I'd say until the day Resorts are forced to take action, just try and get the point through to these people it's no game. Let them know. Tell parents their 6-year-old shouldn't be in freeway hittin the rail jumps. Tell the 6 or 7 teens from Missouri if you don't know what "popping" of a "lip" is, go hit tree trail jumps.

People are under the impression ski resorts are a controlled environment, tell everyone the truth. If you convince one group a month, that's one less group to worry about.

Jan 23 2008 1:50AM

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Swick825

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I was just a few people behind this guy about to hit the jump line. It was a gnarly crash. RIP buddy.

Jan 23 2008 2:15AM

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papasteeze

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It would if that park was pass only, did this happen in Brecks beginner park?

There should be a "public" park with stuff 6 inches off the ground, everything else should only be accessible only with a pass. I wish we knew more, I still can visualize this guy, doing a "hey! watch this!"

He was a jock in high high school, physical medicine resident. yeah , over achiever type A. here again, speculation on my part, I just can't see people who are once or a twice a year snow enthusiasts going to take the time to get passes.

Jan 23 2008 7:26AM

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mmckechnie

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shit, rip

Jan 23 2008 2:11PM

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GANDALF

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dang thats rough. +++++vibes to the friends and fam

Jan 23 2008 4:37PM

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ScrappyJoeYoung

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RIP, thats suuper sad

Jan 23 2008 4:46PM

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Blurst

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i think that the park pass would help qiute a bit

i was at blue mountain in ontario last weekend and this is probably the biggest tourist reasort in ontario they have a park pass system in tact so i bought a park pass. On these hills there are and incredble amount of begginers and people learinnign to ski but in the park evrybody knew waht they were doing. At horshoe where i ski normally there are gapers all the time on the landings and rolling over jumps because there is no park pass. If there is a park pass it will prob not limit the amount of injuries of people that know what they are doing but it will limit the amount of njuries from gapers who dont know what they are doing

Jan 23 2008 5:22PM

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Static

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damn papasteeze take it easy, the guy is fucking dead. If it really boils your blood so much write a letter to breck instead of taking low blows at a dead man.

Jan 23 2008 5:32PM

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Valind

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The Colorado Ski Safety Act

Warning Under Colorado law, a skier assumes the risk of any injury to person or property resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing and may not recover from any ski area operator for any injury resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing including: changing weather conditions; existing and changing snow conditions; bare spots; rocks; stumps; trees; collision with natural objects, man- made objects or other skiers; variations in the terrain; and the failure of the skiers to ski within their own abilities

Jan 23 2008 5:49PM

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millhouseskis

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Ridiculous

this should be eternally posted/stickied someplace, someway, somehow for everyone of us to see. we can educate.

Jan 23 2008 5:50PM

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Microcosm

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seconded.

Jan 23 2008 6:15PM

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Valind

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third

Jan 23 2008 6:34PM

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Treestman

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you sir, are an idiot, because one snowboarder dies going off a jump, you think it cant happen equally to skiers? u think skiers cant die skiing the mountain or the park?

and rip to this guy

Jan 23 2008 6:48PM

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SkiMN

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RIP

Shit happens, end of story. Like somebody said, you don't need to hit a 60 footer in freeway to get killed out there. Every part about what we do is dangerous. People need to accept that, and for the most part have. It's never good when accidents happen and people get hurt or die, but its a good reminder to watch yourself out there.

Like somebody said, you have to do everything for the first time, but you also have to be damn good and ready to hit stuff like the jumps in freeway. Its the responsibility of the individual to know their own limits and stay within them, and to accept responsibility for the consequences of screwing up. Whether you were ready for it or not, it's nobody else's fault, and it would be low to try to make somebody else feel responsible for a riders death on the mountain when the resort already does all it can to make it safe out there.

I would oppose a park pass system, simple because personally I would not necessarily get into freeway based on a park pass system, I can't do jumps, just a few rails. And what about cameramen? It's a touchy subject but I don't think it will ever catch on.

The best way to keep terrain parks safe is simply responsibility. If you fall, get your ass out of the landing. Don't wait to get hit, then rat the person out. Likewise, if the person who dropped before you never rides out of the landing, don't hit it, go down and see what happened or send a guy like me who waits for the rail lines down to check it out. Across the board, if nobody is stupid you won't have any idiot related accidents.

Park crews, ski patrol, etc, should have the ability to kick people out of the park if they are a danger to themselves or others. In many cases they do already.

Most importantly there needs to be accountability, so that lawsuits don't get filed for this kind of stuff. It's tragic to see somebody die before their time when out riding, but it couldn't have been helped. Yes the families of these victims are going through some very tough times, but don't go and try to make it worse for others by trying to get terrain parks shut down.

Jan 23 2008 8:50PM

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keystoner1

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it was in park lane at breck though instead of freeway. my friend saw it and it was off the 2nd or 3rd kicker towards the top which are only like 35-40. but still RIP

Jan 23 2008 8:59PM

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papasteeze

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35 -40 foot jumps should only be accessible to those who have taken the time to separately acknowledge the suggested rules of the park or smartstyle or some other program that causes them to sit down and take the time to say yes, I want to be allowed in the parks.

Jan 23 2008 9:32PM

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notomatoplz

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RIP, man so many people getting hurt/killed in the sport these days

Jan 23 2008 9:57PM

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Clebo1

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RIP.

Jan 23 2008 10:05PM

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keystoner1

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yeah for sure i am just saying that guy said a helmet doesn't help at breck and i totally agree on their 50+ footers but on smaller ones it definitely does

Jan 23 2008 10:06PM

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ballerman

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word

Jan 23 2008 10:12PM

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D-HAWK

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RIP

Jan 23 2008 10:16PM

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SkiMN

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Helmets- They protect your head from impacts with hard stuff, be it snow, a rail or the stairs off an urban. The operative word here is head. When you go off a jump and find a way to land on your head, its the neck injury that is your biggest concern in many cases. Say its an insanely under rotated backflip, and you smash your head on an icy knuckle. I will admit a helmet might help there, but thats about it. If you manage to fall onto your head with all your weight on anything over maybe 15-20 feet then god help you because the only thing thats gonna save you is if you are already wearing that neck brace that is about to become your best friend.

Jan 23 2008 10:20PM

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jason...

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RIP, pretty sad, anyone have a first hand account of what happened?

Jan 23 2008 10:52PM

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ballerman

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meant to say RIP as well obviously. Thoughts with his family

Jan 23 2008 10:56PM

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DaysToCome

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nah colorado has all sorts of laws protecting ski areas from lawsuits so i don t think anything will change

Jan 24 2008 12:18AM

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BUMP

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yes park passes are they answer to the worlds park problems

Jan 24 2008 7:21AM

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ride-rider

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how dos a park pass reduce the chance of him breaking his neck? mayby he was actually good and just landed on his head.

RIP prayers to people of relation to him!

Jan 24 2008 6:40PM

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Dustin.

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the jumps aren't even that big. at the top and bottom they are like 15-20, maybe the middle set of 2 is 25-30

Jan 24 2008 7:11PM

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