A shocking video of a stunt gone terribly wrong at the famed Lake Louise Ski Resort in Banff National Park, Alberta has gone massively viral online, racking up tens of millions of views across social media platforms. The footage captures the harrowing moment when a skier’s audacious mid-air trick collides with an unexpected obstacle – a passing empty chairlift.
The video, which was reportedly filmed this past weekend at the resort’s extreme “Top of the World” area, opens with a skier later identified as Idaho resident Ivan Jones launching himself off a jump and attempting an ambitious spinning maneuver high in the air. However, things take a dramatic turn when Jones inadvertently slams directly into the chairlift cable being cycled down the mountain at that very moment.
The impact abruptly halts Jones’ rotation, causing him to tumble violently through the air before crashing down into the deep powder below. Gasps and curses from shocked onlookers can be clearly heard in the footage as the skier disappears beneath the snow surface upon impact.
Miraculously, despite the jaw-dropping scene, reports indicate that Jones escaped the insane mishap with only minor bruises and no major injuries. The same cannot be said for his pride and reputation in the extreme skiing community, however, as the video has gone massively viral across the internet over the last few days, racking up over 25 million views on Instagram alone by Tuesday morning.
The footage has sparked heated debates across social media, with seasoned skiers and snowboarders weighing in on the failed stunt and the hazards involved with such high-risk aerial maneuvers on active ski slopes. Many praised Jones’ skills and bravery in attempting such a difficult trick, while others criticized his apparent lack of situational awareness that led to the collision.
“You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times when you’re throwing down stunts like that,” commented one self-described expert skier on an online ski forum. “Clearly this guy didn’t scope his line properly and dropped in without knowing the chairlift was cycling through.”
“That’s just pure negligence on the part of the skier and the resort staff,” argued another commenter. “There should have been temporary signage or staff stopping stunts while chairs were being cycled through that area.”
Regardless of where one stands on the issue of skier responsibility versus resort negligence, one thing is clear – the viral video serves as a dramatic cautionary tale about the risks inherent with extreme stunts and the importance of keeping aware of one’s surroundings at all times on the slopes.
Lake Louise Ski Resort has not issued any official statement regarding the incident as of Tuesday morning. Calls to the resort went unanswered by press time.
