Snowboarder Who Died in Snowmass, CO Terrain Park on Sunday Named as 20-Year Old Resort Employee

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Tyler Hamm, aspen Snowmass, died, terrain park, aspen, Snowmass, colorado
Tyler Hamm, 20

The man who died Sunday after crashing in the Makaha Terrain Park at Snowmass Ski Area, CO has been identified as Tyler Hamm, 20, who worked as a cook at the ski area. Hamm was a resident of Snowmass Village, according to a press release from the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office. According to his Facebook page, he was originally from Charlotte, NC reports the Aspen Daily News.

Hamm, 20, died Sunday morning attempting the first jump, just under the Village Express lift, in the Makaha Park at about 11 a.m. Hamm was not wearing a helmet, an Aspen Skiing Co. spokesman said. Ski patrol received a call from someone riding the Village Express lift, an Aspen Skiing Co. official said.

“Patrol responded immediately and found the man unresponsive with no pulse or breathing,” Aspen Skiing Co. spokesman Jeff Hanle said Sunday afternoon. “They began advanced life-saving procedures. They were unable to re-establish a pulse and the man was pronounced dead by the Pitkin County Coroner. “Our deepest sympathies and thoughts go out to the man’s family and friends, and we are offering support and assistance.”

Hamm, who was snowboarding, was seen by a witness who was riding the Village Express chairlift entering the terrain park at a high rate of speed. Other witnesses from the chair saw him after the crash, but no one is believed to have seen the crash itself.

Tyler Hamm, aspen Snowmass, died, terrain park, aspen, Snowmass, colorado
The Makaha terrain park

The Makaha Park remained closed Sunday afternoon as ski patrollers continued their investigation at a jump. According to the resort’s website, the Makaha Park “offers a logical next step up the progression ladder with its mix of intermediate and advanced features, ranging in size from medium to large. There are about 25 features in total, a progressive line of midsized jumps and about 15 jib features including all shapes of boxes and rails. Great area for learning new tricks and working on progression.”

“Tyler was beloved by his friends and colleagues as a valuable and reliable team member, a skilled worker, and a kind, funny, and passionate person,” according to a statement released by SkiCo attributed to Hamm’s friends and co-workers at the company. “While Tyler was only 20, he showed great professional maturity and exhibited a desire to deepen his skills in the kitchen and be an asset to his team. Tyler was a pro and a pleasure to work with. He was a keystone piece of our team, both professionally and spiritually. We miss him deeply.”

The last reported death at Snowmass in the winter was in February 2016 when well-known businessman and Aspen local Donald Drapkin on Feb. 15 fell from a standing position, hit his head but then got up. He died a week later from injuries sustained in the fall. Before that, three people died in the spring of 2014 at Snowmass. Two men have died in the past two summers while mountain biking at the resort. David Eckardt 62, of Woody Creek, died in September 2018 while riding the expert Valhalla trail, and David Duff, 67, of Kentucky died in July 2017 on the same trail.


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One thought on “Snowboarder Who Died in Snowmass, CO Terrain Park on Sunday Named as 20-Year Old Resort Employee

  1. thanks for writing in the appropriate way, not like that idiot from fox. I watched him getting cpr; tuesday when i found out it was Tyler, a 20 year old kid, who was a cook at lyn brit cabin, feelings of grief and confusion overwhelmed my brain’s thoughts. I worked at lyn brit cabin for a season, as a dish wash/prep when i was 22 and im 26 now working as a glorified busser, and i still wouldnt be able to be Tyler for a day. Kids like that are incredible, I have been snowboarding at snowmass for 11 years, 8 as an employee. Its hard to explain everything i know and feel, but it all leads to me going OMG im so upset that nobody taught Tyler how to truly enjoy riding, because im surely exponentially better than Tyler was and i as a person i now know that not being prepared leads to perceptions about things you have no idea about. He didnt get to figure out how to live and he never will and its incredibly sad. words can only do harm, but i havent been able to do much other than maintain since i found out it was Tyler. this is one of the first times i have written, not because its enjoyable…. this is the last thing i want to write about, so dont start perceiving things. Just” know” how fucked up it really is. there is nothing to “believe” here. You just need to “know”.

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