In December 2023, the Idaho Supreme Court issued a ruling that could significantly affect the state’s ski industry. This decision emerged from the tragic death of 65-year-old skier Stewart Milus at Sun Valley in 2019, leading to a lawsuit against the resort. The court’s reversal of longstanding precedent now allows juries to determine ski area liability, even when skiers may share some blame. If upheld, the ruling could raise insurance costs and threaten smaller ski areas, potentially reshaping skiing access in Idaho.
Why does this matter in Minot? Legal precedents are known to cross state lines, at least in arguments, and the insurance industry will certainly re-evaluate risk in light of a new ruling. While we don’t have a lot of ski slopes on the prairie, the ones we do have would all qualify as “smaller”. For the full story on what’s happening in Idaho, the Idaho Capital Sun has it.