OLYMPUS COVE — A day hike on Mount Olympus turned tragic Saturday when a 49-year-old woman fell nearly 1,000 feet to her death.
Five people were hiking together in the mountains east of Salt Lake City about noon when Karin Vandenberg slipped on a patch of snow and fell. Two 14-year-old boys attempted to help her and also fell, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson. The boys suffered head trauma and broken bones but were last reported to be in stable condition.
"It's almost miraculous they weren't hurt more," he said.
Those who knew the hikers were stunned.
"It's tragic," said David Faber, a friend and neighbor of three of the hikers, Steve and Christine Holding and their son, Clayton. "Words can't describe how you feel about something like this."
Steve Holding is the son of billionaire Earl Holding, who owns the Snowbasin ski resort and the Little America hotel chain.
The Holdings had invited Faber and his wife to join them for the day hike in the mountains just east of their Olympus Cove home, but they declined because Faber's wife ran in the Salt Lake City Marathon on Saturday morning. Faber said he was home when he heard a helicopter nearby. He immediately wondered, "Is it them?"
Faber's wife called Christine Holding, who was still on the mountain.
"The first thing she said is, 'We've had an accident,' " Faber said.
Christine Holding called 911 from the mountain, he said.
The group is made up of experienced hikers and very familiar with the terrain, neighbors said.
"They're very competent hikers and outdoors people," said Bruce Mabey, another neighbor. Mabey said he has hiked several times with the Holdings and also was invited to join them for Saturday's trip. Learning about the accident was "shocking," he said.
"I was supposed to be on this hike," Mabey said.
Rescue crews were working late Saturday afternoon to recover Vandenberg's body, a task made more difficult by avalanche danger.
"There's significant danger associated with mountain activity, especially with the amount of snow we've had recently," Hutson said.
E-mail: cnorlen@desnews.com