Sobering News

From the Tahoe Tribune, Yesterday, May 4th:
A Tahoe City woman died Wednesday morning at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort after she struck a lift tower while skiing on the Sherwood side of the mountain, according to a Placer County sheriff's sergeant.

A call came into 911 at 9:50 a.m. that a skier had hit a ski lift tower and went down, according to Sgt. Bill Langton of the Placer County Sheriff's Office. Alpine ski patrol was on the scene and paramedics and a Care Flight helicopter were called, Langton said.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate the 24-year-old skier, but she was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 10 a.m. The woman was skiing intermediate terrain when she started going into the splits, caught an edge and lost a ski, authorities said.

Langton said the skier was not wearing a helmet.

This is at least the second death at Alpine this season.

The South Shore has posted two skiing-related fatalities this season, both at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Northstar-at-Tahoe had six fatal accidents, which excludes one heart attack victim. Mammoth has had four ski- and snowboard-related deaths this year, which doesn't include ski patroller deaths.

I know this woman. I knew this woman. She was a camper and counselor at my camp, she grew up in the town I live in, she played on the field hockey team that I coached, her family still lives in town... She was busy living her life and I'm sure never imagined when she got up on Wednesday morning that the beautiful sunny morning would be her last. Makes me want to lock all the doors and never leave the house...

Life is so precious and accidents like this are proof positive that we just never know what lies in store for us. It's terrifying actually. We take risks like she took every day - riding our bikes, driving our cars, stepping out of our doors - and we assume we're taking adequate precautions. But you just never know. It can all come to a screaching halt in a split second.

So take good care of you and yours and tell the people you love that you love them - every day, as often as possible.

And for everyone you love, and everyone that loves you - wear your freakin' helmet.