One of two skiers caught in the avalanche in Hidden Canyon, just outside of the Brighton Resort boundary, was buried face down and was rescued by a third party, according to new information released Monday afternoon by the Utah Avalanche Center.
The two young men, ages 17 and 18, triggered and were caught in an avalanche Friday after entering the unpatrolled backcountry terrain on the Big Cottonwood Canyon’s eastern border, according to the avalanche center’s updated observation report. The avalanche measured 600 feet long, 200 feet across and was between 2 and 4 feet deep.
The report said one skier was partially buried. The other was completely buried upside down in the snow with one exception: His ski boot was sticking out of the debris. Neither was wearing avalanche rescue gear.
Another person who saw the slide and was carrying a beacon and probe skied down to uncover the buried skier. The partially buried skier also dug himself out and helped in the rescue.
Though blood was found at the scene, Brooke Maushund, a forecaster for the Utah Avalanche Center, said no one was seriously hurt.
“Since they lost their gear, they weren’t able to fully ski out,” Maushund said. “But they were well enough to walk themselves out of Hidden Canyon.”
Greg Gagne, also a Utah Avalanche Center forecaster, said observers hadn’t seen many big avalanches that broke to the ground until Friday’s slide. However, he said rainfall on Christmas had made the conditions unpredictable and the staff knew “we had a dangerous snowpack structure.
“It was,” he said, “just waiting for something.”
To read Julie Jag's full report visit sltrib.org.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.