Ski Safety Improved Slightly In Past Six Years

Drew Sandsor | Capital Public Radio 

Safety at California ski resorts has improved slightly on average in the last six years, but a lot more can be done.

That's the finding of a report out Wednesday from the SnowSport Safety Foundation.

Daniel Gregory is a physician and safety expert who started the foundation after his daughter died in a 2006 ski accident at Alpine Meadows.

He says there's no federal or state regulation of the resorts.

"They have no requirement to provide safety information to their patrons, and in fact, do not," says Gregory. "They do not have safety plans as far as we know because we've asked for them and they don't provide them. And we don't have any information on the actual number of accidents or injuries that occur at the resorts."

The resorts are judged on impact protection, trail design, and maintenance.

Kirkwood and Dodge Ridge had the highest scores among the 15 major resorts that were rated.

Donner Ski Ranch and China Peak, formally Sierra Summit, had the lowest scores.