Winter X Games snowmobiler dies after Colo. crash
DENVER (AP) - Caleb Moore, an innovative freestyle snowmobile rider who was hurt in a dramatic crash at the Winter X Games in Colorado, died Thursday morning. He was 25.
Moore had been staying at a hospital in Grand Junction since last week's crash in Aspen. Family spokeswoman Chelsea Lawson confirmed his death.
A former all-terrain vehicle racer, Moore switched over to snowmobiles as a teenager and didn't take long to rise to the top of his sport. He won four Winter X Games medals, including a bronze last season when his younger brother, Colten, captured gold.
Caleb Moore was attempting a backflip last Thursday in the freestyle event when the skis on his 450-pound snowmobile caught the lip of the landing area, sending him flying over the handlebars. Moore landed face first into the snow with his snowmobile rolling over him.
Moore stayed down for quite some time, before walking off with help and going to a hospital to treat a concussion. Moore developed bleeding around his heart and was flown to a hospital in Grand Junction for surgery. The family later said that Moore, of Krum, Texas, also had a complication involving his brain.
Colten Moore was injured in a separate crash that same night. He suffered a separated pelvis in the spill.
B.C. Vaught, Caleb Moore's agent for almost a decade, said he first saw Moore when he was racing an ATV in Minnesota and signed him up to star in some action sports movies.
Later, Moore wanted to make the switch from ATVs to snowmobiles and asked Vaught to show him how to do a back-flip. In two weeks, Moore mastered the difficult maneuver.
Moore's brother also got involved in snowmobiling, the close-knit duo pushing each other to become better.
Moore honed his skills in Krum, a town about 5,000 people 50 miles northwest of Dallas that rarely sees snow. Instead, he worked on tricks by launching his sled into a foam pit. After a brief training run on snow ramps in Michigan, he was ready for his sport's biggest stage - the 2010 Winter X Games.
In that contest, Moore captured a bronze in freestyle and finished sixth in best trick. Two years later, his biography on ESPN said, "Caleb Moore has gone from 'beginner's luck' to 'serious threat.'"
That was hardly a surprise to Vaught, who said, "Whatever he wanted to do, he did it."
Vaught said Moore didn't believe his sport was too extreme, but rather "it was a lifestyle." He was good at it - along with ATV racing - as he accumulated a garage full of trophies.
Fellow snowmobile rider Levi LaVallee recently described Moore as a "fierce competitor."
"A very creative mind," LaVallee said. "I've watched him try some crazy, crazy tricks and some of them were successful, some of them not so much. But he was first guy to get back on a sled and go try it again. It shows a lot of heart."
Moore had been staying at a hospital in Grand Junction since last week's crash in Aspen. Family spokeswoman Chelsea Lawson confirmed his death.
A former all-terrain vehicle racer, Moore switched over to snowmobiles as a teenager and didn't take long to rise to the top of his sport. He won four Winter X Games medals, including a bronze last season when his younger brother, Colten, captured gold.
Caleb Moore was attempting a backflip last Thursday in the freestyle event when the skis on his 450-pound snowmobile caught the lip of the landing area, sending him flying over the handlebars. Moore landed face first into the snow with his snowmobile rolling over him.
Moore stayed down for quite some time, before walking off with help and going to a hospital to treat a concussion. Moore developed bleeding around his heart and was flown to a hospital in Grand Junction for surgery. The family later said that Moore, of Krum, Texas, also had a complication involving his brain.
Colten Moore was injured in a separate crash that same night. He suffered a separated pelvis in the spill.
B.C. Vaught, Caleb Moore's agent for almost a decade, said he first saw Moore when he was racing an ATV in Minnesota and signed him up to star in some action sports movies.
Later, Moore wanted to make the switch from ATVs to snowmobiles and asked Vaught to show him how to do a back-flip. In two weeks, Moore mastered the difficult maneuver.
Moore's brother also got involved in snowmobiling, the close-knit duo pushing each other to become better.
Moore honed his skills in Krum, a town about 5,000 people 50 miles northwest of Dallas that rarely sees snow. Instead, he worked on tricks by launching his sled into a foam pit. After a brief training run on snow ramps in Michigan, he was ready for his sport's biggest stage - the 2010 Winter X Games.
In that contest, Moore captured a bronze in freestyle and finished sixth in best trick. Two years later, his biography on ESPN said, "Caleb Moore has gone from 'beginner's luck' to 'serious threat.'"
That was hardly a surprise to Vaught, who said, "Whatever he wanted to do, he did it."
Vaught said Moore didn't believe his sport was too extreme, but rather "it was a lifestyle." He was good at it - along with ATV racing - as he accumulated a garage full of trophies.
Fellow snowmobile rider Levi LaVallee recently described Moore as a "fierce competitor."
"A very creative mind," LaVallee said. "I've watched him try some crazy, crazy tricks and some of them were successful, some of them not so much. But he was first guy to get back on a sled and go try it again. It shows a lot of heart."
People like him are always pushing the limits when doing something. Once and a while they exceed that limit and it comes around to bite them. I am sorry that he lost his life doing what he enjoyed, but he died doing what he wanted to do. RIP.
I'd rather die doing something I loved than to die sitting in traffic or from a long drawn out disease.
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RIP Caleb. You had a good run going.
Condolences to his family ;-(
very sad...
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but he lived and loved doing what he was doing and died doing what he loved doing!!
Who cares what he was doing. People choose to do all sorts of things. This was a shining young life and it is very tragic. I cannot imagine what his family must be going through. I'm sure they were scared to death when he didn't get up, then relieved when he did. The crushing loss after that would be even worse. I am sorry for the family's tragic loss.
"Moore had been staying at a hospital"...come on KOMO you make it sound like he checked into a hotel.Â
RIP Modern day dare devil.. let 'em do what they want as long as they sign away their (family) ability to sue (if only it were that easy).
 @SensationaLies his family probably won't sue, his younger brother would have a hard time staying in the sport if they did. Also this is a professional sporting event run by EPSN, I would be willing to bet ESPN covered their ass.
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My condolences to family and friends. He was doing something very dangerous but he loved it. I enjoy the same sort of activities on a dirt bike and my reasons are selfish for the most part. I do it for the challenge, to push myself, and for the personal satisfaction. I love it. Not any different than surfing killer waves, sky diving, climbing, etc. Some of us like to push the envelope, not everyone will understand. I don't care what others think, I do it for me and have accepted the risk. Obviously not for everyone.
whether it's Romans with chariots, or Native Americans on Appaloosas, some young men will always be driven to demonstrate their daring.  Some young women too.   Â
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Education may reduce the numbers, but some will not be stopped. It's in their wiring to be "dare devils".  Evil Knevil was not dissuaded by numerous serious injuries.Â
My heart goes out to the family. One son dead and another seriously injured. I can't even imagine.
Deadspin has a fantastic article about the culture behind the X-Games and why these guys take the risks they do. It's absolutely tragic but it was only a matter of time before somebody died doing this. My prayers are with this young man's family.
 @Necrobio This snowmobiling freestyle stuff seems significantly more dangerous than the other X Games events. Remember speed skiing? And how long that lasted?Â
 @lakeview  @Necrobio Speed skiing is still alive and well.
 @lakeview Without a doubt. But recall that skier Sarah Burke died last year in another accident while practicing her routine on the superpipe for the X Games. These X Games have produced several injuries in various sports, not to mention that Caleb's brother was also injured these games. It's getting out of hand.
@Necrobio @lakeview Every year there is someone pushing the envelope, making other competitors wanting to do the same. It gets more and more dangerous every year. If that's what they want to do with their lives, that's their choice, though I think the Xgames people needs to start coming up with more safety precautions for the spectators. Spectators being run over by snowmobiles is no ok.
Very sad. Such a young man. Such a waste. This sport is so dangerous. Why on earth would you think it's a bright idea to try and do a 360 on a 500 pound snow machine? These accidents involving snowmobiles happen all too often. It's a 500lb snow machine. It doesn't belong 20 feet up in the air doing flips. Especially with someone on it.
The sport is too dangerous. We need to ban this.Â
So is driving. Shall we ban that too?
 @Laracco Laracco you are now banned from this site.
 @Laracco Yes. Also we need to ban swimming. Too many deaths. We may need to consider banning food, I heard someone choking the other day.Â
 @Komo206 The sport is too dangerous in many ways. There was another "crash" at this event that sent a screaming unoccupied snowmobile into the crowd of people. There's video of it; it's pretty shocking.Â
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If the riders want to kill themselves, that's fair, but they are going to have to figure out how to make this safer for the spectators if they want to continue this.Â
 @lakeview  @Komo206 In the 18 years of X-Games, how many vehicles have gone flying into the crowd injuring someone?
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The spectators are also choosing to be there. Sometimes s**t just happens.
 @Hachee_Bungwhy  @lakeview We need to ban spectators. They are too dangerous.
@Komo206 Agrred need to XGame control and such.
R.I.P Caleb.