IFSA - Tobias Lee Killed in Avalanche. Mt. Baker, WA.

The IFSA and the skiing world loses another friend. On Tuesday April 18th 2006, our family lost Tobias Lee, brother of Elijah Lee, to his injuries sustained in a violent avalanche outside the Mt Baker ski area in Washington state. He was 25 and had recently won the coveted Sickbird belt buckle in Kirkwood, CA. at the Freeskiing World Tour Finals.

Tobias was skiing with his brother Eli and their good friend Tom Walgren. Both Eli and Tom are local skiers at Mt. Baker and have logged many days in the area and had skied this particular chute several times in the past. All precautions were taken to assess the safety of the terrain and the snow. Eli was roped up prior to Tobis entrance in order to cut the cornice and ski cut the slope. Signs indicated good snow and no instablility.

The Stoneman Chute is steep and pours 7-800 vertical to a bench before the terrain makes another move into steep trees and variable sized cliffs and gullies. Tobias dropped into a small face skiers right of the main gut of the chute, with intension to ski a few turns and then angle left into the chute. On about his third turn the slope cracked 2-3 feet deep. Tobias skied left to try to get out of the slide but the crack had propigated all the way across the top of the chute. There was no place for Tobias to go. Eli and Tom quickly headed down the chute to locate but the slide was too great and carried Tobias 1500 feet down and over the bench.

This great bird in our family of Sickbirds fell from the nest and was swept from our lives in a season of many tragic and unfortunate events. We all know the risks in the lifestyles we live but nothing ever prepares us for the loss of a brother, a son...a friend.

From myself, the IFSA, and all the athletes and skiers that were lucky to know Toby, we send out our deepest sympathy and love to Elijah and Tom and the Lee Family. In memory of Tobias, Dak Williams of MSI announced at the memorial service last weekend that the Sickbird award will become the "Tobias Lee Sickbird Award". Toby will be in our thaughts and forever a part of our sport and we will miss him.

Peace and love to you all.

Jim Jack