Deep Reads: A beloved skier, an audacious jump and the complex grief left behind

Dallas LeBeau had worked for years to make it to a top professional tour in skiing, only to stall in the standings last winter. He felt desperate to win respect. One of the last chances of the year to make some noise was by submitting a video of a jump to GoPro for a contest.

In January 2024, on the drive back after a long day on the mountain, he snapped a photo of the turn before Highway 40 crests Berthoud Pass in Colorado — a 40-foot-wide stretch of asphalt. With the GoPro contest in mind, he thought: What if I could jump that gap?

This is the story leading up to Dallas’s jump, his attempt to clear Highway 40, and the grief that followed. The piece was reported, written and read by Roman Stubbs. Audio production and original music by Bishop Sand.

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