-- Deaths of 5 Skiers Stun Mammoth

In the span of a week, three skiing accidents, a heart attack and an avalanche claimed
the lives of four visitors and a ski patrol veteran.

MAMMOTH LAKES — The deaths of five skiers over a recent seven-day period on or near
Mammoth Mountain appear to have been tragic accidents but have shaken this hamlet of
outdoor enthusiasts.

One victim was a Los Angeles dentist and avid outdoorsman, another a retired water
deliveryman from Garden Grove, the third a San Diego teenager and the fourth a
marketing representative from Laguna Niguel. The fifth was an accomplished ski patrol
member traversing the Eastern Sierra's breathtaking backcountry.