SOLITUDE MOUNTAIN RESORT, Utah, Dec. 13, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Search crews have found the body of a 37-year-old skier who went missing Monday at Solitude Mountain Resort.
The victim has been identified as Devon O’Connell, of Cottonwood Heights.
“Our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” a Unified Police statement says.
“Yesterday, the skier went up to Solitude with a friend,” Sgt. Melody Cutler, Unified Police, told Gephardt Daily. “The friend left at about 10:30 (a.m.). So the skier wanted to do another run, and we know he got on a lift at 12:03 p.m., and that was his last known location.”
Cutler said she was told the O’Connell’s wife called Solitude ski patrol at about 6:30 p.m., and the search began. The victim had been expected home by 2 p.m.
“We responded as well as Salt Lake County Search and Rescue and Brighton ski patrol came out as well,” she said.
The search continued until 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, when it was stopped due to bad conditions. The search resumed at 7 a.m., and O’Connell was found, deceased, at about 8:15 a.m., Cutler said.
The body was found in a group of trees fairly close to the bottom of the Sensation ski run, the same run for which the O’Connell had scanned his ski pass. He was found wearing a safety helmet.
O’Connell, described by his wife as an expert skier, was found near the bottom of a tree. Asked if he may have hit a tree, Cutler said “we can only assume at this point. The Medical Examiner will do an autopsy to determine exactly what the cause of death was.”
Solitude Mountain Resort issued a statement recounting the chain of events, and adding “We send our deepest condolences to the family.”
Cutler called the incident “a tragic accident.”
Gephardt Daily will have more information as details are released.
