A British skier died after attempting the "Swiss Wall," a difficult black run slope, despite signs nearby saying the slope was closed.
In a statement read to Horsham Coroner's Court, a nearby skier who witnessed the accident from the chair lift said they saw the man, later identified as 47-year-old Grahame Carter, try to take on the slope. They said Carter made it about 20 meters before taking a "big fall," according to the statement.
"The fall was violent and the skier did not stop. He was sliding in all directions then he started to go head over foot. I have never seen that in my life and it was very shocking," the witness said in the statement. "As the fall went on the skier picked up more and more speed. He stopped about 20 meters before the end of the field."
#skiing Just skied my first Mountain Summit. When all the lifts stop, you start walking. Unbelievable experience #japan @niseko_snow @leekos76 well played 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/Fpu9de6ixN
— Grahame Carter (@GrahameCarter) March 1, 2023
The witness said they called emergency services, and by the time they reached the top of the lift, there were rescuers on site and the slope had been closed.
Carter was pronounced dead on the slope about an hour later, as reported by the Telegraph. Dr. Karen Henderson, the coroner, said his cause of death was a traumatic head injury and ruled the death an accident. Carter was reported to be wearing a helmet, however he lost his skis and suffered injuries "incompatible with his survival," the coroner stated.
The inquest heard that Carter ignored signs posted prior to the February incident. The court was told that the Pas De Chavanette piste in Switzerland, which has also been nicknamed the "Swiss Wall," was known as one of the world's most dangerous slopes.
"It was a black slope known to be very difficult and you need to have a good level of skiing to do it. The slope was closed. Unfortunately, Mr Carter ignored these warnings. The findings are compatible with a violent fall," Henderson told the court.
Carter worked as a chief sales officer for a recruitment agency. His wife, Roma Carter, told the court in a tribute to her husband that he had a "zest for life."
"He was never one to remain in his comfort zone, he was unashamedly himself. He was always present, he was always available and unerringly reliable to friends and family alike," Roma Carter told the court. "Everyone always felt a little better after a little dose of Grahame. He is irreplaceable and the world is a worse place without him."
