Area ski resorts say the first skier death this season in Maine does not mean that more skiers are out of control.

At Saddleback ski area in Rangeley, patrol director Jim Quimby said only once this year has the patrol revoked a lift ticket due to unsafe behavior. Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry and Sugarloaf ski area in Carrabassett Valley also reported revoking lift tickets for unsafe behavior.

All mountains try their best to keep skiers safe, Quimby said.

Nevertheless, some local skiers are concerned about safety on the slopes.

Jeff Lavoie, 22, of Gorham, a lifelong skier, said he started wearing a helmet a few years back.

“I think about safety now more than I did when I was younger,” he admitted. “But I try to trust people. If everyone watches out for themselves, no one will get hurt.”

That means skiers have to show each other respect.

“Mountains have it tough,” said Bob Mennealy, skier and Auburn city councilor. “Skiers know there is a risk to the sport, but that risk doesn’t include someone barreling ass down the mountain and flying into you.”

Slope concerns

“I think a death on the mountain is a rare occurrence,” said Bill Swain, spokesman for Sugarloaf. “It makes us feel terrible, and that’s not just a business thing, it’s a personal thing. It hits us hard.”

But Swain stressed that Sugarloaf isn’t seeing more accidents on their trails or more reckless skiers.

Lavoie said skiers aren’t more dangerous today, but that they are doing crazier stunts in the terrain parks.

Mennealy, an avid skier at Sunday River, said it seems people are getting careless.

Mennealy knows how dangerous skiing can be. Several years ago, he fell at Sugarloaf and ended up with half of his body paralyzed. He still skis and loves it. But he does get worried.

“My biggest fear is getting hit. There doesn’t seem to be the ethics or even the common sense there used to be.”

Mennealy attributes the change to families not being able to afford to ski anymore. Parents used to teach their children good ski ethics and the safety code, but now most people get introduced to the slopes by their friends, he said.

Safety letter

A letter that appears on the Web site of Sugarloaf USA, urges mountain users to ski and ride the “Sugarloafer way.” That means safety first.

“We are concerned about where we see courtesy on the slopes going in the last few years,” states the letter, written by Rich Wilkinson, vice president of mountain operations.

“Some of it may be driven by the popularity of extreme sports, ‘pushing the limits’ … However, these visions or ad campaigns are not meant for us to ignore making intelligent choices…”

The goal of the letter, said Swain, was to remind people to be courteous.

“The way skiing used to be was that everyone looks out for everyone else. We don’t want people to forget that,” he said.

Deaths and injuries

Last year, a collision between two skiers left one dead at Sugarloaf. The last death before that was in the early 1990s, Swain said.

The death of Jane McCormack of Falmouth, a 39-year-old second-grade teacher, last Thursday at Sunday River is difficult for those who work in the ski industry. But accidents happen, the statistics say.

According to the National Ski Areas Association, during the 2002-03 season, 37 fatalities occurred at ski resorts nationwide. In addition, there were 33 serious injuries that year.

Susan Duplessis, spokeswoman for Sunday River, said the death devastated those who work at that mountain. The last death there was in January of 2001, and there was another one in 2000.

“When you look at the big scheme of things, it’s the same as getting behind the wheel. Sometimes, these tragic things do happen,” she said.

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