Aspen, CO – Aspen resident Kiera Tongish, 22, died in a skiing accident Thursday at Snowmass ski area near Aspen in which she lost control struck a tree on the edge of resort’s intermediate Grey Wolf run. She was an employee of Buttermilk Ski Area, which like Snowmass is also owned by Aspen Skiing Co., as a lift ticket sales agent.nTongish, who also worked as a server at Aspen’s Wienerstube Restaurant, was skiing with friends and wearing a helmet at the time of Thursday’s incident. Friends and family described Tongish as an accomplished skier.

A witness spotted the accident from the ski area’s Elk Camp chairlift and notified ski patrol at 1:41 p.m. on Thursday. Tongish was unresponsive at the scene, and was transferred by ambulance to Aspen Valley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She reportedly sustained massive trauma from the impact.