Arapahoe Basin, CO – A 51-year-old adaptive skier died last Thursday when he sustained a hard crash while riding his sit-ski at Arapahoe Basin.

Jack Wade, of Golden, Colo., was found unresponsive after catching an edge on his sit-ski and striking the ground hard, according to witnesses. He was at A-Basin to celebrate his 25th anniversary as a paraplegic. Wade lost the use of both of his legs in a 1986 auto accident near Steamboat Springs, Colo., where he was working at the time in construction and at the Tugboat, a popular après-ski bar at the base of the mountain, to feed his love of skiing.

The Summit County Coroner’s Office has not disclosed the cause of death and no autopsy has been ordered. It is not known if Wade was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.