A pair of backcountry skiers died after they were hit by an avalanche Thursday in the mountains outside Salt Lake City in Utah, authorities said.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said rescue teams went to the area close to Lone Peak in the Wasatch Range after the avalanche was reported. She said that she believed the 911 call made at around 10 a.m. was made by a survivor of the snowslide.
“He was able to dig himself out,” Rivera told The Salt Lake Tribune. “He was in pretty fair conditions other than mentally going through something like this is extremely scary.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Craig Gordon, a forecaster at the Utah Avalanche Center, said the survivor had been able to find the other skiers and attempted to rescue them. “This was a group of very experienced, very serious, very dedicated backcountry skiers,” he told the Tribune, fighting back tears. “Right now, our hearts and our entire community is feeling very heavy.”
The two deceased victims of the avalanche are both men, ages 23 and 32, according to the Associated Press. Their names have not been publicly released, but Rivera said their families have been notified.
A recovery was not possible Thursday due to conditions in the area, but crews are planning to return Friday morning, weather permitting, Rivera added.
