According to the Unified Police Department of Salt Lake City, an avalanche on Utah’s Lone Peak resulted in the tragic deaths of two skiers on Thursday. Additionally, a third skier was hospitalized as a result of the incident.
Officials believe an avalanche in the backcountry likely buried the skiers.
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Sgt. Aymee Race told reporters that the deceased victims were two guys, 32 and 23 years old.
Race reports that after successfully removing himself from the snow and attempting to rescue his two friends, the hospitalized skier received treatment for minor injuries before calling for help.
Authorities said search and rescue personnel have been unable to reach the accident scene due to extreme avalanche conditions.
Police announced on Thursday afternoon that they had halted recovery efforts due to the return of snowfall on the mountain. The Utah Avalanche Center informed ABC News that the recovery operation had been halted until Friday.
Large, dangerous avalanches are rare this late in the ski season because daytime warmth normally stabilizes the snowpack, according to Craig Gordon of the Utah Avalanche Center.
A recent rain of around 30 inches abruptly altered weather conditions, drastically increasing the threat, according to Gordon. He stated that the region on the north side of Lone Peak is steep and technical, hindering rescue attempts.
Alta Ski Area, like many other surrounding ski resorts with large resources, notified ABC News earlier in the day that it has sent a ski patroller and an avalanche rescue dog to help with the search and rescue mission.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, there have been 15 avalanche fatalities in the United States during the 2023–2024 season, including the two in Thursday’s catastrophe.
