Silverton, CO – Silverton Mountain, a Colorado ski area known for its unrelentingly steep expert terrain, claimed the life of a 25-year-old Denver woman on Saturday.

Published reports indicate that Sydney Elizabeth Owens was part of a guided group on Saturday morning when she fell on “Riff Run” on her first run of the day and tumbled some 1,500 feet to her death. During the core of the winter season Silverton offers only guided skiing on its lift-served slopes.

Ski patrollers were unable to revive Owens at the scene. The cause of death has not been released.