Three men are injured, one critically, after they were trapped in two separate avalanches in Big Cottonwood Canyon Saturday.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office originally announced a man had died, but the office soon after sent a corrected press release saying he remained in critical condition.
The first slide was reported near Butler Fork at 10 a.m. by two separate backcountry skiing groups who were in the area where the avalanche occurred, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Two men were caught in that slide, and members of their groups began rescue efforts immediately to locate them. Both men were pulled from the snow before first responders arrived.
They were transported via helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center. A 57-year-old man was in critical condition, and a 48-year-old man was in serious condition.
Parts of state Route 190 were shut down for several hours Saturday for the backcountry rescue operations, Utah Department of Transportation officials said. The road reopened around 1 p.m.
Separately, about 2:45 p.m., a 40-year-old man was caught and carried by an avalanche while he was backcountry skiing in Big Cottonwood Canyon near Days Fork. The man sustained injuries that did not appear life-threatening, the sheriff’s office said.
“This tragedy is a sobering reminder of how quickly backcountry conditions can turn dangerous. Thank you to the skiers on scene who acted immediately and began rescue efforts in challenging conditions,” Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson also said in a statement “our hearts are heavy,” and urged skiers to be properly trained, have safety equipment on hand, and prioritize safety in the backcountry.
An 11-year-old Massachusetts girl died Thursday in a backcountry avalanche near Brighton Ski Resort. In Wasatch County, a man was killed in an avalanche while riding a snowmobile with his son on Wednesday, authorities say.
Forecasters say avalanche danger is high statewide
The Utah Avalanche Center warned that people need to be extremely cautious in these avalanche‑prone conditions.
“This is a statewide high avalanche danger right now,” said Craig Gordon, avalanche forecaster with the Utah Avalanche Center. “Any avalanche that we trigger is going to break deep. It’s going to break wide. It’s going to be dangerous and quite possibly be unsurvivable.”
The danger isn’t lost on residents who frequent Big Cottonwood Canyon.
“It’s scary. Because our kids are up there skiing all the time. My husband and everyone,” Sherrie Boseman, an area resident, said.
Some skiers described the conditions as enjoyable but said they still recognize the risks. Others noted that the resort environment feels safer than the backcountry.
“Was it scary to hear there was an avalanche? I mean, sure, but that’s mostly backcountry stuff. … Skiing at a resort, you’re not really in any danger,” said snowboarder Mitchell Donahue.
Contributing: Alex Tumalip