It has been 4 weeks. On March 12, 2016, I was skiing at Steamboat Springs. We had done some pretty serious steep skiing and were coming down for the day. As I descended a steep area. I was careful because there are baffles set up the slow you down. As I descended I saw just seconds before our impact a snowboarder dissending at a high rate of speed out of control. He crossed over my skis. My left foot released, but from the impact. I knew something was wrong. Once I landed I looked at my boots and my foot was twisted at 45°. I started yelling out for help and the ski patrol came quickly, as did my friend Blade and later, Dave.
The ski patrol determined I needed a ride down to the bottom in a toboggan to be checked out. Before we left. I looked over and saw the snowboarder sitting on the snow from the collision. He tell me he was 34 and only been skiing, snowboarding for two years. I thought I wasn't mad, but I was in pain and hurt. The ski patrol checked our information and filled out some forms. Later I was realized that these forms did not include any government ID information or ski pass information. I saw that Andreas did have a ski pass as I did with a photo ID.
Once down at the base I was immediately sent to the hospital ER where I learned I required surgery for three broken bones. I had a spiral fracture in my tibia and fibula. My fibula was also broken just under the knee. That night I woke up about 11:30pm completely delirious and was told that the operation to repair my leg was successful. I now have plenty of metal in my legs to hold it all together for the healing process.
The next day I stayed over at the hospital for further recovery and was able to contact the ski area to get information about Andreas. Luckily, when my friends at taking a photograph of the ski patrol's report at the scene. Later I was realized that the ski area was not even going to give me a copy of that report. And furthermore, there was not going to be any complete information about who Andrea's really was.
When I got back to my hometown. I reach backed out the ski area and never was able to get from them any information about who Andrea's really was are if that information that they can't give me was of any value at all. And then I found out later that they would not give me at information even if he had. Rebecca Bale, their safety officer assured me that they could not find any information. I believe they have this information and it will not give it, but the real story is they do not collect this information at the scene of an accident are even call the police or sheriff's department as required by law.
When you're skiing at Steamboat Springs, you are on your own if you have an accident. They had told me in writing that the ski patrol job is to get you off the mountain, which they did, and a very good way. If you are an accident as I was with a broken leg I was responsible to get all the contact information I could possibly could from Andreas. My friends didn't know to do this for me, nor did I asked them to. Now I realize I should've pulled out my camera, take some pictures of everybody at the scene for use later. I was too out of it to do that.
I believe Colorado laws should be changed to correct this efficiency and reporting. Later I found out that I could file a police report with the Routt County Sheriff's Department because the area were I was hurt was actually in the county. It seems like the whole business up there is to protect the ski area and not to help you out with the accident reporting. Once you are injured. I will say I received excellent treatment at the hospital in town and had a great surgery and look forward to a recovery and may be able to ski again someday after a year.
Mark Stangl, Boulder CO
[note from the editor: some text omitted for the sake of absolute relevance.]
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