Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — A 21-year-old skier sustained serious injuries when he hit a tree Saturday at the Steamboat Ski Area.

Andrew Parker of New Jersey is listed in serious condition at Denver Health Medical Center, a patient information representative at the hospital said.

Parker was skiing Moonlight, an intermediate run in the Priest Creek area, when he skied into a tree, said Mike Lane, a ski area spokesman. Lane did not know how the accident occurred.

An ambulance was dispatched to the ski area at about 12:32 p.m. Parker was taken to Yampa Valley Medical Center where he was treated for serious injuries, said Christine McKelvie, public relations director at the medical center. After about three hours, he was transferred to Denver Health, McKelvie said.

Parker was not wearing a helmet, Lane said.

No other serious injuries were reported during the weekend, one of the busiest of the ski season, Lane said.

The Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association reported nearly 14,000 overnight guests were in Steamboat Springs Saturday night. The ski area opened the gondola and chairlifts early Friday, Saturday and Sunday to accommodate the large crowds.

Parker is the second person to suffer serious injuries at Steamboat this season.

On Nov. 22, the ski area's opening day, Eric Heffley, 31, of Steamboat, lost control and hit a tree at the intersection of the Sunset and Duster runs. Heffley was snowboarding and was wearing a helmet.

Heffley, who also was treated at Denver Health, sustained bruises to his face and temple and suffered a broken jaw and bruised right lung.

There have been no skiing fatalities at Steamboat this year.