Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Larry Heywood has 45 years of Ski Industry experience as a Ski Resort employee and safety consultant to the Ski Industry. As Ski Patrol and Snow Safety Director at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort in California Mr. Heywood’s responsibilities included all aspects of mountain safety, first aid, mountain rescue, hazard identification and mitigation, mountain signage, skier education, accident documentation, risk management, trail design and construction, and avalanche forecasting and control. As Director of Mountain Operations he directed all aspects of mountain operations, including ski patrol, lift maintenance, lift operations, snowmaking, snow removal, grooming, terrain park planning, construction and maintenance, mountain construction and maintenance, ski area mountain planning and permitting, and guest and employee safety. He developed and authored numerous in-house manuals and procedures including ski patrol manual and procedures, avalanche control and rescue plans, accident documentation procedures, snow mobile and equipment procedures, and terrain park procedures. Mr. Heywood has been retained by ski areas and attorneys across the United States and Canada as a consultant and expert witness. He has represented many of the largest western ski areas on a variety of issues including ski area operations, skier behavior and expectations, ski patrol practices, hazard identification and mitigation, grooming and snow making issues, mountain signage, padding issues, trail design and construction, lift operations and maintenance issues, explosive use, and avalanche control and safety issues. He has also provided expert witness and ligation consulting services to plaintiffs in litigation resulting from accidents in skier collisions, tubing operations, terrain park operations, ski lift operation and grooming operations. He has testified in courts throughout the U.S. and Canada.