A skier died attempting an expert run from the top of 11,000-foot Mammoth Mountain on Thursday as horrified witnesses helplessly looked on.
The unidentified thrill-seeker was killed while skiing a run called Dropout 2, a notorious trail that drops about 1,200 vertical feet and is one of the steepest in California, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Bystanders on the mountain at the time described the shocking scene unfolding in front of them.
“Looked like he lost skis high in deep moguls on the chutes — maybe 15 yards from drop,” a Reddit user wrote, adding that it wasn’t clear if the skier was wearing a helmet.
“Was sliding headfirst downhill and head hit a rock. He then slid while unconscious about another 150 yards down the trail leaving blood trail the entire way while the person he was skiing with was crying out and trying to catch up to jump on him to stop the slide.”
The witness said it was the “worst thing I’ve ever seen on the mountain.”
Mammoth Mountain confirmed the death in an email to Times.
“Life-saving care was administered immediately, and the guest was quickly transported to the care of paramedics,” it read. “Despite these efforts, we are informed the guest passed away.”
It marks the fourth death at the popular ski resort this season.
The tragedy comes after another harrowing incident at Mammoth last Saturday, when a 12-year-old girl survived a terrifying fall after dangling from a ski lift.