LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah, May 9, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Two skiers died and another was transported to an area hospital following an avalanche Thursday morning in Lone Peak Canyon, officials said.
Emergency dispatchers received reports about 10:15 a.m. regarding three skiers needing assistance following an avalanche in Little Cottonwood Canyon. First responders arrived and discovered that three skiers had been caught and buried in an avalanche, according to the Unified Police Department.
One skier was located, rescued and transported to an area hospital about noon, while efforts to locate and rescue the two other missing skiers continued, according to UPD. The rescued skier’s condition was not immediately available.
During the search, two of the three men, ages 32 and 23, were located and confirmed deceased, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said. The men’s names were not immediately released.
“This is a tragedy, and our hearts are with the families and outdoor community that these individuals were actively engaged in,” Rivera said.
Rivera said one of the men killed is from Utah, while the other is from out of state. The third skier who was rescued also is from Utah, she said.
“These were experienced skiers and reports indicate they were well prepared for the journey they set out on today,” Rivera said. “This is a reminder that Mother Nature can be unpredictable, and we encourage everyone to be mindful of the dangers of the late snowpack and spring runoff.”
The recovery efforts were stopped for the day about 4 p.m. due to unsafe weather conditions, Rivera said. Recovery efforts will resume Friday morning, weather permitting, she said.
“Where they’re at is very difficult to get to,” Rivera said, adding that crews used a helicopter to get to the area.
Due to the challenges presented by the location of the avalanche, UPD requested assistance from Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, the Draper and Sandy fire departments, U.S. Forest Service and Wasatch Backcountry Rescue.
Utah Department of Public Safety and Intermountain Life Flight helicopters assisted in the search and rescue operations.
Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information becomes available.
