THIS.Several times I’ve been up the Summit chair at Bachelor the top 100 vertical feet or so had been wind-scoured and very sketchy on and off-piste, then conditions get better the rest of the way down. That’s also true of the Northwest chair.
Thing is, from the Summit there are marked trails on the trail map that are Blue runs, so people assume they can handle it because they were able to ski the other Blue runs all over the mountain. The idea of getting the top of the Summit is very appealing, so they are likely not taking into account the conditions at the top of a volcano at 9,000’ with 360 degrees of exposure and frequent winds, no trees and several rock outcroppings. It’s not the highest spot in the Cascades, but it’s the highest spot among ski resorts in the PNW with an unusual microclimate.
My daughter and I have skied Bachelor a lot, and at different times during the season. The Summit is a magnet for folks who may or may not have the requisite skills to get down, and even the blue lift line run (Beverly Hills) can get wind-scoured and really slick really fast. Add to that the unique microclimate that David mentioned, and I can easily see things going sideways for less experienced skiers. Storms can move in quickly, and I've been on the Cloudchaser side needing to get back to the West Village during near-whiteout conditions. Braille skiing for sure. Without taking anything away from whatever duty a ski resort has to provide safe facilities, skiing has inherent risks, and skiers need to know their limitations and accept certain risks.
Losing a child is a horrible trauma for parents, one that doesn't resolve quickly. And I'm sure that this affected the ski patrollers, EMTs, MDs, and RNs who did their best to help this child. Been there too.