Final answer:
The correct answer is option b. An increase in the price of ski equipment would be most likely to cause an inward shift of the demand curve for ski equipment.
Step-by-step explanation:
An inward shift of the demand curve for ski equipment would be most likely caused by an increase in the price of ski equipment. When the price of a good increases, consumers tend to demand less of it. This would result in a decrease in the quantity demanded at each price level, causing the demand curve to shift inward.
The advent of summer would not directly affect the demand for ski equipment, as it is a seasonal product and consumers would naturally expect decreased demand during the summer months. A report of deaths due to avalanches might create negative sentiment and decrease the demand for ski equipment, but it would not cause an inward shift of the demand curve on its own.
Therefore, option b. an increase in the price of ski equipment is the most likely factor to cause an inward shift of the demand curve for ski equipment.