Deschutes County sheriff’s office IDs 2 Bend men killed in Mt. Bachelor skiing accidents

(Update: Two Bend men on who died identified)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday identified two Bend men who died after skiing accidents on Mt. Bachelor about 24 hours apart, on Friday and Saturday.

The first fatality, on Friday, was identified as Thomas Schuberg, 66, and Saturday's fatality as Theodore Speer, 60. Both were Bend residents, Sgt. Jayson Janes said. No other new information was released.

On Friday afternoon around 12:25, Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol responded to an injured skier, who was wearing a helmet.

A witness says Schuberg hit his head. Around 1 p.m., he was pronounced dead.

Nearly 24 hours later, ski patrol responded to another injured skier.

Speer also was wearing a helmet, according to the resort. He reportedly hit a tree.

A medical helicopter landed, but was called off, and Speer was pronounced dead shortly after 1 p.m.

On Sunday morning, an Air Link helicopter was called to Mt. Bachelor again for a medical emergency.

A 64-year-old man was taken to St. Charles Bend. No further details about his condition were released.

Three days in a row of air ambulance call-outs sparked a serious conversation in the skiing community about the recent mountain conditions, and the risks involved.

One viewer told NewsChannel 21 in an online comment: 

“We left early on Friday as we’d never seen so many accidents, close calls, and out-of-control skiers and snowboarders … Prayers for the lost and injured, and kudos for ski patrol, but Bachelor needs to pay more attention to out of control skiers and riders.”

In the Mt. Bachelor Conditions Facebook group, one member, who said a friend of his was skiing with Friday’s victim, said:

“The accidents almost always have nothing to do with marking off piste hazards, or what Mt Bachelor does or does not do, and everything to do with the skiers inability to arrest a slide when he or she goes down on fast snow at speed. I say this because conflating the issue by blaming the resort or the industry does nothing to make us safer and doesn't reflect the realities of the data.”

There are a number of other posts with lengthy comment sections addressing the conditions on the mountain currently, and where to go from here.

Mt. Bachelor President and General Manager John McLeod said in a statement saturday:

"We are heartbroken and in shock that two of our guests have tragically passed away on our mountain in the past two days. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of those who passed. The entire Mt Bachelor community is grieving with you tonight.”