SUN VALLEY, Idaho — The Idaho Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Sun Valley Company, ending a nearly 6-year legal battle that began in 2019 when a skier died after colliding with snow-making equipment at Sun Valley Resort.
Stewart Milus was skiing on the resort's Lower River Run in November 2019 when he fell headfirst into a snow gun that was located in the middle of the run. His wife, Laura Milus, filed a wrongful death suit against Sun Valley Company.
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On Thursday, Idaho's Supreme Court ruled in favor of the resort, stating that "Mr. Milnus assumed the risk resulting from snowmaking equipment." The court cites section 6-1103 of Idaho Code, which outlines liabilities for ski resorts across the state.
Idaho's law specifies what ski resorts must do to protect skiers and snowboarders, as well as a code of conduct stating that skiers and snowboarders have an individual responsibility to be safe on the mountain while assuming the risk of this activity.
The equipment involved in Milus' accident was covered in large yellow padding and was not actively in use, which the court found to meet the requirements of the resort under Idaho law.
The ruling reinforces Idaho's long-standing position that skiing and snowboarding are inherently risky activities, with participants bearing significant responsibility for their own safety on the slopes.
