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15-Year-Old Killed In Ski Slope Accident Remembered as 'Positive' and 'Adventurous'

OLYMPIC VALLEY (CBS13) — The Lake Tahoe community is mourning the loss of a 15-year-old boy killed in a collision at the Palisades Tahoe Ski resort this weekend.

Scotty Lapp died from the impact of the collision. A 15-year-old boy he collided with was transported via air ambulance to the Renown Hospital where he is recovering.

A GoFundMe page shows a picture of Lapp. The page describes an effort to build a Tahoe City skate park in his name and calls him one of the most positive, adventurous people you could ever meet.

At his North Tahoe High school, classmates describe Lapp as well-known and well-liked. He had only moved to the school a year ago and was an avid skier on the Palisades Tahoe Big Mountain Competition Team.

"Rest in peace, ski for Scotty," one classmate said. "It makes you realize that's how close, that's how fast it could happen, it's insane."

Ryder Schwartz skied on the same Palisades Tahoe ski team and recalls Lapp as a leader among his peers.

"When I heard about it, my heart just sank," Schwartz said. "Some of my younger friends are his friends and they were there and they witnessed it and I can't imagine what it must have been going through their heads. I mean that is a traumatic experience at a young age."

The North Tahoe Fire District responded to the collision Sunday at 2 p.m. The Sierra Sun reports Lapp had just finished competing at Sunday's Tahoe Junior Freeride Series' event at Palisades Tahoe when the two teens collided, taking a young life and leaving this community stunned.

The school district had nine mental health professionals on campus today to help Lapp's classmates with grief counseling.

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