6-year-old expertly navigates close call with a deer on the slopes

PARK CITY — It was an exciting opening day at Deer Valley Resort, filled with skiers and even a few deer. Luckily, a skilled 6-year-old walked away unscathed following a close call with one of them.

His mother captured this video.

Rickie and his mother were skiing on Success run when she noticed some deer coming out of the trees. She was behind her son and couldn’t get his attention.

“I hollered to him but he didn’t seem like he heard me. Thankfully, he was very quick to react when he finally saw the deer out of the corner of his eye,” said Abbi Martz, Rickie’s mother.

Rickie didn’t seem phased following the encounter, and was even determined to finish one more run despite the shocking experience.

“It was so close. He told me he was a ski length away, but his skis are about three feet long or two feet long,” Martz said.

Read more: New research shows drought conditions drive deer populations to croplands, urban environments

Martz said that Rickie has lived in Park City his whole life and has been skiing for years. They attribute his quick reaction to extra focus on spatial awareness as he’s learned to ski.

“We have worked with him a lot on looking up the hill when he’s skiing because he likes to do little, narrow, slalom turns,” Martz said. “Because the little kids, they don’t always realize that there are other skiers navigating down the trail. And in this instance, it paid off that he already knew that — whether it’s a deer or another skier.”

Deer Valley commented, saying:

Deer Valley is home to a variety of wildlife, and winter guests may encounter deer, moose, marmots, foxes, birds of prey, bobcats, and occasionally black bears and cougars in more remote areas. These natural encounters are part of what makes recreating in the mountains so special. However, we ask our guests to be mindful and respectful when recreating in what is, first and foremost, a natural habitat for local wildlife.

We encourage all guests to enjoy wildlife from a distance and never feed or approach animals. If a guest has a close encounter, they should remain calm, back away slowly, and report the sighting to any resort staff.

It’s also important to understand that participating in any activity at Deer Valley comes with inherent risks. Our on-mountain liability waiver outlines these risks, which include encounters with wildlife, exposure to changing weather conditions, and varied terrain. We provide safety signage throughout the resort to help guide guests and mitigate these risks, and we work closely with local experts to responsibly manage wildlife interactions.