Skier breaks pelvis, ribs in Winter Park after getting struck by snowboarder in hit-and-run case

To 67-year-old Jonathan Babcock, skiing down a Winter Park trail was routine, considering his 55 years in the sport. 

But Feb. 9 would fall far from ordinary, as Babcock would end the trip with two broken ribs and a hairline fracture on his pelvis, resulting in a two-day stay at a Denver hospital and a plethora of bills.

“I’ve broken ribs when I hit a tree in the late 80s. I broke my hand in the 90s," he said. "But, for an accident, this is the worst.”

Babcock was struck by a snowboarder heading down Village Way — a green-level ski trail at Winter Park — and left in a tree well on Feb. 9. The snowboarder headed off, adding to the ski-resort hit-and-runs that have plagued the activity for the past 10 or so years, according to Babcock.

Babcock had stopped to help other skiers having trouble on the beginner-level slope, he said. As he was doing so, a snowboarder bombed past, striking him in his right side and sending him some 25-odd feet into a nearby tree well.

A Winter Park volunteer stopped at Babcock, rendering aid. The snowboarder didn't.

“At that point, I was in shock. I was upset. I was hurt," he said. "For the next eight minutes, I was so mad that I didn’t look at the guy. My sister saw him regrouping and stretching with a bunch of guys in their upper twenties."

He added: "All I said to the volunteer was, ‘Don’t let them leave,’ and he said, ‘What do you want me to do?’”

Babcock lamented how incidents like this continue to grow as Colorado ski resorts boom in attendance. 

Colorado Ski Country USA announced at its 60th annual meeting in 2023 that skier visits at its 21 member ski resorts broke the attendance record, nearly 8% over 2021's total of 13.8 million.

Babcock offered an advice to those wanting to avoid incidents: Get lessons.

He said he believes lowering the price of lessons and raising accountability levels may help reduce incidents. He suggested having more volunteers around to tell people to slow down in lower, crowded areas, such as the scene of his crash.

“There are a lot of tourists that think they can learn by themselves and are really menaces. This guy was a worse menace because he was a good snowboarder. He was in control and decided to do it in a crowded area," Babcock said.

According to Colorado's 2022 Ski Safety and Liability law, skiers and snowboarders are required to stop and exchange information following a collision on the slopes, much like a car accident. Not doing so is, in fact, a Class 2 petty offense.

Babock added that he spoke to Winter Park police and filed a report, but it would be nearly impossible to find the suspect. There were no cameras and little-to-no witnesses that stuck around.

"Ski Patrol aren’t law enforcement, but they cooperate with local authorities when and if a report is filed or the situation calls for it," Winter Park Resort said in a statement to The Denver Gazette. "Winter Park is also growing its team of volunteer on-mountain safety ambassadors to have a larger presence and to help remind skiers and snowboarders to slow down, ski or ride in control and within their ability."

In 2021, a snowboarder collided with author Ron LeMaster, leading to LeMaster's death. The snowboarder fled the scene.

The snowboarder was not charged with manslaughter and instead faced a Class 2 petty charge, with a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine.

Babock said he worries that people just don't care. He noted hearing snowboarders bragging about how fast they can bomb a green run at the beginning of the season. He also pointed toward another collision by a snowboarder from behind earlier this year. 

"My sister was there. She's 94 pounds and very frail," he said of the hit-and-run. "If that guy hit her, he could have killed her."

Despite the risk, his love of the sport remains strong, he said.  

When asked if this injury would end his season, he said, "I'll be back out there... I plan to ski till I'm 80, but I may need to rethink that."