Ski stunt kills 1 person in Colorado on Highway 40 west of Berthoud Pass summit
One person has died in Colorado while trying to ski over Highway 40 on Berthoud Pass, Grand County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Wednesday.
According to the sheriff's office, at approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the communication center received a report of a skiing accident on Highway 40 near just west of the Berthoud Pass Summit.
It was reported that a 21-year-old man, who has been identified as Dallas LeBeau, a Gilpin County resident, was unconscious and not breathing, which led to a bystander performing CPR. Emergency personnel responded to the scene and determined that he died following the incident.
An investigation revealed that the victim was attempting a "high-risk skiing stunt by trying to clear the width of Highway 40."
The skier lacked the necessary speed and distance and landed on the highway pavement. The sheriff's office said the victim was wearing a helmet and other protective gear while attempting the stunt. The accident impacted Highway 40 traffic in both directions while investigators processed the scene.
Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said he knows spots along Highway 40 are popular for backcountry skiers. But they're also dangerous.
"The ski injuries, risky for the tubing that goes on up there, risky for the avalanches," Schroetlin said. "It is Colorado's backcountry and the backcountry has inherent risk. Yesterday was one of those risks."
