STOWE, Vt. (WCAX) – Public safety officials in Stowe are reminding skiers and riders about the dangers of venturing out of bounds. This comes after rescue crews found a skier dead in Stowe’s backcountry on Tuesday.
The incident was the third out-of-bounds death in recent memory.
In 2017, a 22-year-old skier got lost and died of hypothermia before he could be rescued. One of three deaths of resort guests in the state that year.
In 2020, two brothers traveled nearly two miles off course and got lost. One of the brothers died after falling from a 200-foot cliff.
Stowe Mountain Rescue says this week’s death was also an accident. They say incidents like these are preventable, and if you choose to venture out of bounds, make sure you do so safely.
Skiers like Jack Stanton strapped up their boots and hit the backcountry trails Thursday.
“This kind of terrain, it can change day to day. So, that’s why it’s important to go uphill first on the route you’re about to come down. Things like stream gullies, tree wells– you have to be aware of where they are. It’s definitely something to take seriously,” said Stanton of Stowe.
This comes just days after Stowe Mountain Rescue and Stowe Police received a call Brooks Ralph, 27, of Cold Springs, New York, was missing.
They searched the area near the upper Perry Merrill trail outside of resort boundaries for several hours, locating Ralph’s body just before midnight Tuesday.
“Once we found this individual, we pretty much knew it was an accident based on where he was in the terrain,” Stowe Police Chief Donald Hull said.
“Very steep terrain, what some might even call extreme terrain– large boulders and trees. They were out there alone,” said Tom Rogers of Stowe Mountain Rescue.
Rogers says Stowe Mountain Rescue crews respond to an average of four to five rescue calls in Stowe’s backcountry every year.
He says knowing the risks before you go is a must.
“When you leave the boundaries of the ski area, you’re really taking your life into your hands. So, it’s really incumbent on every single one of us to be doing the right things when you head out into the backcountry in order to keep yourself and others safe,” Rogers said.
He says cases like this also put rescue crews at risk.
“Climbing very steep rock walls and ice walls to move across the landscape– but it is the kind of thing where we’re putting ourselves at risk to go out there to help people in these situations,” he said.
Rogers says if you do venture out, some things to remember include:
- Having a fully charged cellphone and extra batteries
- Having a backpack with food, water and warm clothing
- Letting friends and loved ones know where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
“Know your limits,” Stanton advised. “If it’s above your capacity, be able to be honest with yourself and recognize that.”
Stowe police are still investigating the most recent incident. Chief Hull says the autopsy results have not yet come in, so it’s unclear how Ralph died.
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