Sports and recreation
Downhill skiing
Estimated population-level acute risk associated with a day of recreational downhill skiing at a ski resort.
Base risk estimate
0.7 micromorts per days
Population-level estimate. Not a personal prediction.
Assumptions
Assumes recreational skiing at a groomed ski resort by an adult skier of any ability. Combined skier/snowboarder rate from NSAA data.
Limitations
NSAA combines skiers and snowboarders in fatality statistics. Risk varies by slope difficulty, speed, snow conditions, collision exposure, helmet use, experience level, and resort safety standards. Year-to-year variation is meaningful.
Source notes
NSAA 2022–23 season: 46 fatalities over 65.4 million combined skier/snowboarder visits = 0.70 per million visits. The 2023–24 season reached a 10-year low of 0.58 per million; 2022–23 used as the most recent complete season for this estimate.
Last reviewed
5/31/2024