Wanted: Man Who Threw Snowboarder Seth Beckton Off a Chairlift

Seth Beckton was almost to the top of the Loge Peak chairlift at Aspen Highlands on Sunday when he says that a comment he made to the skier sitting next to him caused the stranger to throw him off the chair. Beckton was uninjured after he fell into a pile...

By Chris Walker

January 20, 2016

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Seth Beckton was almost to the top of the Loge Peak chairlift at Aspen Highlands on Sunday when he says that a comment he made to the skier sitting next to him caused the stranger to throw him off the chair.

Beckton was uninjured after he fell into a pile of snow, but published this post on Facebook on Sunday:

Yesterday, the Aspen Times reported that a Pitkin County sheriff’s investigator had identified a person of interest who lives in the Aspen area. The investigator declined to give the name of the suspect, but said that the individual will be questioned.

Law enforcement is also reviewing video surveillance taken on the mountain, according to a spokesman for Aspen Skiing Company, Jeff Hanle.

Under the original Aspen Times piece, some readers left comments doubting that Beckton had been thrown off the lift, but others said they had seen the impressions his fall left, which took place after the last lift tower.

Beckton, a 28 year old photographer, decided not to report the incident, which occurred around 9:30am, until 3:45 that afternoon, because he didn't want to let it ruin his powder day.

Because, you know, Skiers and Snowboarders may not always get along, but who wants to miss out on the pow?

Chris Walker is a freelancer and former staff writer at Westword. Before moving to the Mile High City he spent two years bicycling across Eurasia, during which he wrote feature stories for VICE, NPR, Forbes, and The Atlantic. Read more of Chris's feature work and view his portfolio here.

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