Cal/OSHA Finds Mammoth Mountain, CA, ‘Willfully’ Violated Safety Rules After Ski Patroller’s December 2025 Death

Mammoth Mountain, California, is facing $126,000 in Cal/OSHA fines following an investigation into the December 2025 avalanche that killed ski patroller Cole Murphy. The investigation found three workplace safety violations, including one classified as a “willful” violation, as reported by SFGATE. Mammoth says it has corrected the violations and is appealing the citations.

Murphy, a 30-year-old lifelong skier from Tacoma, Washington, was working as a Mammoth ski patroller when he was caught in an avalanche during mitigation work on Lincoln Mountain on December 26, 2025. He was buried for approximately 15 minutes and later died from his injuries.



Related: Mammoth Mountain, CA, Ski Patroller Dies After Inbounds Avalanche





Murphy’s death was particularly significant because it was the second fatal avalanche involving a Mammoth ski patroller in less than a year. In February of 2025, 25-year-old ski patroller Claire Murphy, who was not related to Cole, died after being caught in an avalanche in the same Avalanche Chutes area.



Related: Mammoth Mountain, CA, Ski Patroller Dies Following Valentine’s Day Avalanche



Cal/OSHA Finds Three Violations

Following its investigation, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, issued three citations against Mammoth Mountain Ski Area LLC. The largest citation was a $90,000 fine for a willful violation involving avalanche airbags. Cal/OSHA determined that Mammoth failed to adequately train employees in the use of the protective equipment, specifically finding that the resort did not ensure employees were properly instructed on airbag deployment.

Under Cal/OSHA classifications, a willful violation generally means an employer acted with intentional disregard for, or plain indifference to, employee safety. The other two citations carried $18,000 fines each. Investigators found that ski patrollers failed to maintain adequate communication during avalanche mitigation and failed to ensure employees were clear of the avalanche path before explosives were detonated.



Mammoth Expanding Remote Avalanche Control

The Cal/OSHA findings raise questions about Mammoth’s avalanche mitigation procedures, but the resort is also taking steps to reduce the risks faced by its ski patrol.

One of the biggest changes is the expansion of Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS). These systems allow avalanche professionals to trigger controlled avalanches remotely rather than requiring patrollers to physically enter hazardous terrain to deploy explosives. Mammoth installed its first gas-powered “Boom Whoosh” remote avalanche control system on Climax, an expert run near the summit, during summer 2025. The resort is now expanding the system into additional high-risk avalanche terrain, including Lincoln Mountain. The goal is to reduce employee exposure to avalanche hazards while allowing Mammoth’s avalanche professionals to continue using their experience and judgment.

Changes Within Ski Patrol

Mammoth is also changing its ski patrol leadership and operations. Longtime ski patrol director Bobby Hoyt, who spent four decades at Mammoth and 20 years as patrol director, has moved into a senior adviser position. The resort has also posted openings for a new patrol director and assistant directors responsible for operations and snow safety.

The changes come as Mammoth continues to manage avalanche hazards on a mountain that averages approximately 400 inches of snow annually and can receive significantly more during major winters. The resort recorded nearly 900 inches during the historic 2022-23 season.

Avalanche mitigation is essential to operating Mammoth safely, but the work can expose patrollers to some of the most dangerous conditions on the mountain. The Cal/OSHA investigation highlights some gaps in Mammoth’s safety procedures, particularly because some findings echoed concerns identified after the previous patroller death. With another winter approaching, Mammoth Mountain will face the ongoing challenge of balancing effective avalanche mitigation with the safety of the patrollers responsible for protecting the mountain. The Cal/OSHA findings underscore the need for improved procedures, while Mammoth’s investment in remote avalanche control and changes within ski patrol could help make avalanche operations safer moving forward.

The post Cal/OSHA Finds Mammoth Mountain, CA, ‘Willfully’ Violated Safety Rules After Ski Patroller’s December 2025 Death appeared first on SnowBrains.

Ссылка на источник: https://snowbrains.com/mammoth-mountain-cal-osha-avalanche-fines/