Eckardt's death marks the second fatality on the expert level Valhalla trail. Wikipedia Photo.
On Saturday, David Eckardt died while mountain biking on the Valhalla trail at the Snowmass ski area. The 62-year-old’s death is the second fatality on the expert level trail in just over a year, according to The Aspen Times.
Part of the lift accessed trails on the Elk Camp side of the resort, Valhalla is one of the resort’s most difficult trails. Known for its jumps, the trail is three miles long and descends over 1,400 vertical feet. It is a trail built with advanced riders in mind and its features range from sculpted berms, jumps, bridges, tabletops, and a wall ride.
A POV preview of the Valhalla Jump Trail from 2014.
Last July, a man died from crashing on one of the trail’s jumps. The 67-year-old fractured his neck when he lost control trying to land a jump.
On Saturday mountain patrol was called at 1:10 p.m. regarding the discovery of Eckardt’s body. Another biker had found the man, and an off-duty patroller quickly assisted in administering CPR. When both the mountain patrol and medical team had arrived at 1:20 p.m., they continued CPR for an additional 25 minutes before stopping. No information has been released regarding what part of the trail Eckardt died on or what precisely caused his death.
About The Author
stash member Katie Lozancich
TGR Staff Writer and photographer. Fond of bikes, pow, and dogs. Originally from Northern CA, home for me has ranged from the PNW to a teepee in Grand Teton National Park.