Increasing Danger

No avalanche. I was very nearly run down by a speeding skier going downhill as I was skinning up hill on the Mill D North trail. There was plenty of fresh snow with which to make turns and control speed. The other skier simply said "Whoa," and continued down hill. No apology. We are experiencing explosive growth of back country skiing, and there are many newbies out there, but my sense was that this was not a newbie, but simply a discourteous skilled skier. There is absolutely no excuse for this type of behavior. Please remember that the downhill skier on a trail has the right of way. You are always obligated to ski in control and avoid colliding with other skiers. I am 60 years old, and would likely have been injured if this skier had collided with me. If common sense and common decency are not sufficient motivation for skiers to ski at reasonable speeds on narrow approach trails, then let me remind everyone that most back country skiers are tough people, and that a collision with another skier will place you at great risk of personal injury, and possibly legal retaliation. It is a sad day when we need to have a discussion like this one!