C.R. Johnson, a professional free skier and halfpipe skiing pioneer, was killed Wednesday afternoon while skiing at Squaw Valley, Calif.

Johnson, 26, was reportedly taking a run down a steep chute on the signature Light Towers when he smashed his head against a rock outcropping.

Jim Rogers, a member of the Lake Tahoe-area resort's ski patrol, told the Associated Press that Johnson was skiing with a group of friends when he fell at a "very, very tight, rocky area." Ski patrol were on the scene within minutes, but efforts to revive Johnson failed.

Johnson fell face first, then spun around and struck the back of his head on rocks, according to the AP report. He was reportedly wearing a helmet, but Rogers said the helmet took a serious blow. Rogers said that Johnson was skiing for recreation with friends and not as part of a competition.

"He's the defining person who put halfpipe skiing on the map," two-time Winter X SuperPipe champion Simon Dumont told ESPN Action Sports. "He's a huge part of how halfpipe skiing is right now."

Johnson had competed in superpipe and halfpipe skiing at the X Games and won the US Open against Tanner Hall in 2002. He was the first skier to complete a 1440 -- four complete 360 degree spins -- which he performed at his home mountain of Squaw Valley.

Scott Gaffney, co-director of Matchstick Productions and a good friend of Johnson's, told the Tahoe Daily Tribune that Johnson always had a smile on his face and a positive attitude.

"He was a pretty special person, especially after his [head] injury several years ago," Gaffney told the Tribune. "He just had the greatest outlook on life and was happy to be doing what he was doing."

He reportedly tumbled over rocks for several hundred metres before coming to a halt.

Squaw Valley spokeswoman Amelia Richmond said that medics were on the scene within minutes but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Johnson, a Lake Tahoe native and Freeride team member, was wearing a helmet.

He suffered a traumatic brain injury in a ski crash in 2005, but had made slow and steady progress over the past few winters and was reportedly skiing strongly this year, ESPN reported.

“C.R. has been part of the Squaw Valley family since birth and will be greatly missed,” Ms Richmond said.

“The loss of C.R. will deeply affect not only the local skiing community but skiers worldwide.

“Our condolences go out to his friends and family.”