SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah, Dec. 16, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Officials have identified a snowboarder who died Sunday in an avalanche in the Summit County backcountry near the Canyons Village resort.
The deceased has been identified as Raymond M. Tauszik, 45, of Salt Lake City, said a tweet from Summit County Sheriff Justin Martinez Monday morning.
“Our prayers are with the Tauszik Family during this difficult time,” the tweet said.
At 12:22 p.m. Sunday Martinez tweeted: “We are currently working a backcountry avalanche near the ski resort with one confirmed burial. The single snowboarder has been dug out. Life saving efforts are in progress. This is NOT in the ski resort. More details to follow.”
The Utah Avalanche Center subsequently posted on its website that the snowboarder left the Canyons Village of Park City via the backcountry exit gate at the top of the 9990′ lift to access Dutch Draw.
Part of the way down the slope, in the Conehead area of Dutch Draw, he triggered and was caught and carried in the avalanche.
UAC Staff and Park City and Canyons resort avalanche professionals are investigating the scene Monday morning, the post said.
“The Conehead area of Dutch Draw along the Park City ridgeline is steep, rocky, avalanche prone terrain and was the site of an avalanche fatality in February 2012,” the post said. “The avalanche is adjacent to a cliffband on an east-northeast facing slope at roughly 9600 feet.”
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
