Eldora Mountain has claimed another life, but not as a result of skiing or snowboarding. With the ski season over since April 21, this fatal accident came as a shock to everyone.

A 52-year-old male staff member was struck by a falling tree while assisting with trail maintenance on Thursday, May 16, and died from his injuries, as reported by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

The initial call came in around 10 a.m. and was described as a medical emergency at Eldora. According to the Sheriff’s Office, CPR was being administered, but the reasons for the CPR were unclear.

Despite receiving immediate medical attention from the ski patrol and the rapid response of a Flight for Life Colorado helicopter, the man unfortunately succumbed to his injuries on scene while aid was being rendered, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed.

Authorities indicated that the death does not appear to be suspicious in nature.

Eldora Resort released this statement to The Mountain-Ear:

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred on Thursday morning, which resulted in the death of Louis Miller, a cherished member of our team. We offer our deepest and most sincere condolences to Louis's family.

“We recognize this event will profoundly impact everyone at Eldora, and we encourage every member of our team to contact the human resources department to access our grief and mental wellness resources. We are immensely thankful to our local emergency responders for their quick response and the medical assistance provided.”

The following agencies assisted in response: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder County Coroner’s Office, Nederland Fire Protection District, American Medical Response (AMR), and Boulder County Co--Responders.

Colorado coroners reported at least 17 deaths at ski resorts in the 2022-23 ski season and this death is the 15th on-mountain death of the 2023-2024 season.

The associated Boulder County Sheriff’s Office case report number is 24-02368.