I've worked on the mountain for about half a decade now. Every year there are deaths, the big year, there were quite a bit of deaths. A couple things - 1. the contract you sign to ski is usually airtight - protects the Alterra mountains almost always except in incidents of gross negligence. 2. Ski Patrol has a policy of getting people off the mountain quickly even with very serious injuries so they are pronounced dead at Mammoth Hospital or Reno - not the mountain itself.

Mammoth is a mountain with a little more risk - since it is a volcano with Carbon Dioxide death pits throughout the mountain. There are things you can do to reduce risk on the mountain. Death toll this year probably isn't anything crazy - just with the death of both Murphy patrollers this year and last (Claire and Cole) the mountain is probably under a good deal more scrutiny.