A college student in Wisconsin has died in a ski accident, marking the second death at the ski resort in less than a month. 

Alexandra Blattner, 20, was reportedly found dead on February 5 after crashing into a tree and breaking her neck at Granite Peak, a ski resort in Rib Mountain State Park, about 190 miles east of Minneapolis.

The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office confirmed her death to WLUK and told the outlet that emergency crews responded to the accident shortly before 7.30pm. 

According to Blattner’s obituary, she died ‘in an instant and without pain.’

Marathon County Sheriff’s Office reports reviewed by WSAW stated that Blattner was skiing with a friend on the evening she died. 

The friend estimated that they had been zooming down the slopes at 25 to 30 miles per hour, according to data from his phone. 

He had made it to the bottom before Blattner, and after waiting a few minutes without seeing her, he took the lift back up the hill to return down and find her. 

By the time he did, the ski patrol was already at the scene and she was dead. 

Alexandra Blattner, 20, died in a ski accident on February 5 after crashing into a tree and breaking her neck. She is pictured dressed up for formal season at her university

Blattner’s fatal accident took place at Granite Peak, a ski resort in Wisconsin. Some of the resort’s slopes are pictured

An X-ray later confirmed that she had broken her neck, and the medical examiner’s report stated that she died immediately. 

The young woman was a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, where she was the vice president of recruitment at the Tri Sigma sorority.

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Chancellor Manohar Singh announced Blattner’s death in an email to staff and students on February 6, according to People.

The chancellor told WLUK that he got to know Blattner shortly after she arrived on campus a year ago.

‘Ally is something that I’ll also be living with for my entire life,’ he said. ‘She and I connected very well when I was the new chancellor.’

Blattner was from Neenah, which is on the coast of Lake Winnebago, and she was studying pre-nursing and psychology, according to her obituary. She also served as a student government senator.

In the young woman’s obituary, she was described as ‘a shining light in every room she entered.’

‘She wouldn’t walk away until you were smiling and laughing along with her,’ the obituary said. ‘Although short, she lived her life with energy, meaning and enjoyment.’

Blattner was a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, where she was a member of the Tri Sigma sorority. She is pictured sitting on a dock in the summer of 2024

Blattner was described as a ‘a shining light in every room she entered’ in her obituary. She is pictured dressed up for formal season at her university

Blattner’s fatal accident was the second death at Granite Peak in less than a month. The resort is pictured

On February 9, the Tri Sigma national chapter published a tribute to their deceased member. 

In the tribute, Epsilon Kappa Chapter President Tori Deptula said: ‘We are all so lucky to get to call Ally our sister. She not only made an impact in our lives but all across our campus community.’

National Chapter President Lauren Moran said: ‘During this tragic and heartbreaking time, our hearts are with Ally’s family and her sisters at our Epsilon Kappa Chapter. 

‘As they navigate this unimaginable grief, it is my hope they will find comfort in knowing Ally’s compassion and leadership will forever inspire all who loved her.’

In Blattner’s obituary, her family encouraged donations in her name to her sorority’s chosen philanthropy, March of Dimes, or the Boys and Girls Brigade, Tri Sigma Foundation, or Touch of Class at Neenah High School. 

Alternatively, the family suggested volunteering time at a nursing home or mental health facility.

Blattner’s death was the second fatality in less than a month at Granite Peak. 

On January 11, 30-year-old Matthew Ciolkosz was also killed after losing a ski and crashing into a tree at the resort, according to WSAW. 

Blattner was the vice president of recruitment at her university’s Tri Sigma sorority chapter. She is pictured during formal season at the university

Matthew Ciolkosz, 30, was the other person to die at Granite Peak in less than a month. He was killed on January 11 after losing a ski and crashing into a tree

He reportedly struck his head on the tree, which shattered his helmet. Although life-saving measures were attempted, he later died from his injuries. 

The Marathon County Medical Examiner’s Office told local outlet The Wausonian that both Blattner’s and Ciolkosz’s deaths were ruled as accidental.

Before the recent deaths at Granite Peak, the last fatality at the resort was three years ago, but that person died from cardiac arrest. 

The most recent fatal accident at the resort prior to January 2026 was in 2009, when 25-year-old snowboarder Kyle Suske was killed by blunt force trauma to the chest.