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Boarder killed in cliff jump

22-year-old first fatality in Aspen area this season

By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 5, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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At bottom center, rescue workers recover the body of a snowboarder who died during a back country run over a cliff Friday morning in Tonar Bowl, behind Aspen Highlands Ski Area.

Photo by Daniel Bayer / Special to the Rocky

At bottom center, rescue workers recover the body of a snowboarder who died during a back country run over a cliff Friday morning in Tonar Bowl, behind Aspen Highlands Ski Area.

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Aspen native and snowboarder Wallace Westfeldt liked spinners, bonks and card tricks, according to one of his sponsors' Web sites.

He enjoyed powder days, sunny days, park days, big air, small air, winning - and New Zealand, according to another Web site.

But Friday morning, the 22-year-old died just outside his hometown after jumping off a cliff in an out-of-bounds area called Tonar Bowl beyond the Aspen Highlands ski area, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff and Aspen Daily News.

The sheriff's office said it received a report of an unconscious skier at 11:34 a.m. But Westfeldt was on a snowboard, according to the Daily News.

"He was the most passionate snowboarder I've ever met in my entire life," John Lafferty, a local skier who attended high school and college with Westfeldt, told the Daily News. "He was just such a funny, charismatic guy, and the most humble person."

Westfeldt's father is Weems Westfeldt, a longtime Aspen ski instructor.

Just this week, Colorado tied the record of 16 fatalities within a ski resort boundary when a Kansas man died Sunday at Keystone.

But Colorado Ski Country USA said it will not consider that record broken with Westfeldt's death because it did not occur within a resort boundary.

On Friday, in an odd twist, The Aspen Times ran a story headlined, "Aspen avoids a deadly ski season."

The article, which ran hours before Westfeldt's death, noted, "No one has died from trauma or for medical reasons at the four ski areas of Aspen and Snowmass so far this season."

Also Friday, a Boulder woman survived a tumble of more than 300 yards in an avalanche at Ruby Gulch near Loveland Pass, News4 reported.

"So I remember all of the sudden feeling the ground drop out from below me, and starting to fall," Sarah Thompson told the television station.

Thompson was flown to Summit Medical Center but only sustained a "split lip and cracked nose," according to News4. A hospital spokeswoman said she was treated and released.

Westfeldt was with a group of athletes and a film crew provided by the Aspen Skiing Co., the Daily News reported.

Westfeldt was a rising snowboarding star who placed third at last month's Colorado Freeride Championships at Snowmass. He also ranked third among men in the North American Snowboard Freedride series, according to the Daily News.

He was well-known in Aspen for his love of golf and his "charismatic personality."

Lafferty, who skied with Westfeldt frequently, told the Daily News he always seemed to be having a good time, and "he would wake up and push it as hard as he could."

"He was insanely successful with snowboarding, but the bottom line was how happy it made him being outside, whether it was snowboarding or playing golf," Lafferty said. "He had so much fun every day. A lot of people are going to miss him."

Westfeldt is on the High Society Freeride Company Web site as a pro team-sponsored snowboard rider. The company, which lists a Snowmass Village P.O. Box, sells skis and snowboards, and other goods.

Westfeldt's profile on the Web site lists his favorite tricks and hobbies: "Sculpting my Guns, Gaming, looking for babes."

Westfeldt is also on the Web site for Team Obermeyer, another ski goods company. The site talks about the types of days Westfeldt liked, and had this quote from him: "This is my 15th season of snowboarding. I just love to snowboard. I spend most of my time hitting jumps and riding through the park, but nothing beats a powder day."

Comments

  • April 5, 2008

    3:42 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    roger44 writes:

    so why are traffic fatalities counted if they are off the road when they have the fatal?

  • April 5, 2008

    12:16 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    The_Punnisher writes:

    " But Colorado Ski Country USA said it will not consider that record broken with Westfeldt's death because it did not occur within a resort boundary."

    It's called SPIN...Also known as DISTORTING A FACT.

    LAWYERS, POLITICIANS and other bottom feeders do it often.

    Respectable people and media do not.

    The bottom line: A person died by not being careful.

  • April 5, 2008

    2 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    hibrowtvproductions writes:

    Sad.

  • April 6, 2008

    1:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    happymike44 writes:

    Well Darwin had a theory of evolution only the smartest and the strongest survived.Remember what your mother used to say if all your friends would jump off a cliff would you do it too.Let me tell you this has to be the stupidest thing a person can do.

  • April 7, 2008

    3:44 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    RJDROB writes:

    Happymike and HoustonGolf,

    I hope neither of you ever experience such a loss that you would see the venom in your words - having a laugh while this young man's parents weep at his death. He was an athlete, not a lunatic, and he died playing his sport at an elite level in a calculated manner. Even if you couldn't possibly fathom the athleticism, courage, and intelligence (that's right) it takes to ride this line, why would you delight in poking fun at an unfortunate outcome such as this? Show a little class...

  • April 7, 2008

    9:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    crepto writes:

    i will be attending the service tomorrow for this beautiful, intelligent young man whom i have known since he was four years old. the comments above (with the exception of RJDROB) are offensive, cruel and inaccurate. we lost an amazing member of our community and a family lost a beloved son and brother. have a little compassion for those who are grieving.

  • April 8, 2008

    11:19 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    nbveltman writes:

    The small minded, weak character expressed by posters on this article utilizing the words "knucklehead" and demeaning the nature of the incident leaves little hope for the inherent goodness in each of us that we supposedly possess. The ignorant, feeble minded tactics reveal a deeper problem in the world today. How dare you use sarcasm and patronizing remarks on a tragedy that occurred to a young man and his family. Your arrogance embarrasses me for being a member of a society that allows such egotistical and insecure individuals to express their own insensitivity on a matter so serious as death. The outpouring of support for this amazing person is a testament to the impact he made on this world, while all you have is your snide comments seeping with the regret and pain that you will never lead a life as fulfilling and exhilarating as the one Wallace led. Clearly you lack an empathetic bone in your body and were raised in a neo-Darwinistic world where cruelty reigns, but for the rest of us who value humanity, we will remember him as a beautiful and courageous spirit who found something he loved in life and pursued it to the fullest. How many of you can honestly say that? From the tone of your remarks your lives lack the insatiable thirst for life and resounding joy that Wallace was privileged enough to experience in doing what he truly loved. I don't honestly know how you can sleep at night making comments about the death of a young man you knew nothing about. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

  • April 9, 2008

    2:44 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HSeastcoast writes:

    RJDROB, crepto, nbveltman: Very well said, you guys put into words what myself and many others felt after reading the most thoughtless, disrespectful, classless comments from some of the posters above. HoustongolfPuts and HappyMike: Do me a favor...before you go to bed tonight make sure you look at yourself in the mirror and think long and hard about how stupid YOU are and pray for God to give you the ability to think beyond your own selfish bubble of a world that you live in...I'd love to teach you a serious lesson in respect but I'll give you nothing because thats what you are worth. My most heartfelt thoughts go out to all of Wallace's family and friends. I never was lucky enough to have met Wallace but I know that he was an outstanding young man who was able to positively touch the lives of many in his short time and his great spirt will continue to change people for the better forever