Student Killed In Ski Accident Teenager Hit By Another Skier While Recovering From A Fall

A first-year Whitworth College student died Thursday, the victim of the first fatal accident at 49 Degrees North Ski Resort since it opened in 1972.

Karen Gallaway, an honors student and Mead High School graduate, died from severe head injuries suffered in an accident at the ski resort on New Year’s Day.

Gallaway, 19, a skier for three years, had been at 49 Degrees North near Chewelah, Wash., with her parents, two brothers and other relatives.

The accident occurred in the afternoon in sunny conditions on an advanced run called Tailings.

Gallaway had taken a fall and was upright, preparing to continue down the hill. At that point, she was slightly behind a soft dip in the run, said her parents, Karla and Ken Gallaway of Spokane.

A teenage skier came over the edge and, while airborne, struck Gallaway’s head with his skis, according to ski patrol reports.

“He apparently could not see her,” said Ken Gallaway.

The impact knocked the woman against soft-packed snow, possibly adding to the head injury, her mother said.

A 49 Degrees North first-aid team took Gallaway to the mountain’s first-aid room. A medical helicopter then took her to Deaconess Medical Center.

“We’ve had thousands and thousands of people on the hill and never had anything but minor injuries or a broken bone,” said resort manager Denny Burmeister.

“It’s affected all of us here very deeply. Our hearts go out to the family.”

Gallaway had earned honors at Mead High School for her academic work and extracurricular activities.

She enrolled at Whitworth this past fall with an academic scholarship, said a college spokesman.

An athlete and musician, she enjoyed playing baseball and singing in the school choir.

She was the granddaughter of former Spokane Police Chief Wayne Hendren.

The 15-year-old skier who struck Gallaway suffered a minor leg injury. He was not skiing with the Gallaways and did not know the family. His identity was not released by the resort owners. He is from Spokane.

No police reports have been filed in connection with the accident.

Stevens County sheriff’s deputies were not called to the resort because the first concern was taking Gallaway to a hospital, said resort Ski Patrol Director Gary Deaver.

Since Gallaway’s death came several days after the accident, there are no plans to start an investigation, a sheriff’s department spokesman said.

Medical care and response after the accident were first-rate, said Gallaway’s father.

“They were efficient, courteous and thoughtful,” Ken Gallaway said.

A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Riplinger’s Funeral Home. Burial will be Tuesday, followed Wednesday by a Whitworth College memorial service at a time to be announced.

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The following fields overflowed: BYLINE = Tom Sowa Staff writer Staff writer Mike Prager contributed to this report.