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Authorities have identified the snowboarder killed Saturday morning at Sugarloaf Mountain in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, as Kendall Willard, 63, from Kingfield, Maine. The accident occurred after Willard attempted to retrieve a glove he had dropped from a chairlift onto a closed run.
Carrabassett Valley Police Chief Mark Lopez explained that Willard entered a closed and notoriously icy trail on foot after removing his snowboard. While trying to recover his glove, Willard lost his footing, sliding approximately 800 feet downhill before colliding with trees at the base.
Sugarloaf ski patrol responded promptly at around 9:00 a.m., finding Willard unresponsive. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at 9:45 a.m. The Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death as blunt force trauma.
Sugarloaf Mountain officials issued condolences to Willard’s family, emphasizing respect for their privacy during this difficult time. Chief Lopez also extended sympathy, describing Willard as a friendly and cheerful individual well-known in the community.
Fatalities at Sugarloaf Mountain are uncommon, with no skiing or snowboarding-related deaths recorded in the previous year.
This tragic incident underscores the importance of observing resort warnings and closures. Ski patrol advises contacting them directly to recover lost items rather than entering potentially dangerous restricted zones.
