CALIFORNIA, United States – A new report from the LA Times states that the number of ski-related ER visits is up 50% from 2016 through 2022, while the number of people on the California mountains has stayed mostly consistent through the same time period.
According to KTLA 5, 6,000 skiers and snowboarders were sent to the ER after accidents on the mountain. That rise in numbers, according to the LA Times, has been noticed by former ski patrollers and hospital staff in California mountain towns.
The cause for these accidents, of course, is often reckless skiing habits. This reckless skiing, according to KTLA 5’s discussions with locals, is partially due to an increase in drug use on the mountains: marijuana, alcohol, and even psilocybin mushrooms.
“You’re sitting on the lift and it smells like a skunk up here. It should smell like pine trees” – skier James Travers
Another contributor, as stated by the LA based news station, is an increase in skiers and snowboarders taking pictures and videos of themselves on the mountain. GoPros, phones, and other action cameras make capturing footage easier than ever, and KTLA 5 says this leads to a lack of awareness on the slopes.
“I would say those are the two major things — it’s either, ‘I lost control’ or ‘Someone else lost control’ and there was a collision. I would just advise to work within your limits. If you think you’re out of control, you probably are.” – Dr. Luke Samson at Loma Linda University Medical Center
Related: Why Do Professional Skiers Seem To Never Get Injured?
Image Credit: Mammoth Mountain via Facebook