A massive avalanche on a popular Utah mountain killed a skier and left another seriously injured Saturday.
The fatal mishap unfolded around 12:45 p.m. on a Big Cottonwood Canyon mountain near Cardiff Fork and Silver Fork, shutting down a major highway nearby, Fox affiliate KSTU-TV News reported.
Two skiers, both men in their 50s, were together when they were buried by the snow, the outlet said.
One of the men was pronounced dead after rescue workers pulled him out of the drift.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the skier who tragically lost their life today,” Salt Lake City Mayor Jenny Wilson said in a post on Facebook hours after the incident.
“I can directly relate to the overwhelming grief, having personally lost a family member to the mountain in Salt Lake County nearly 30 years ago,” Wilson said. “Our stunning mountains and canyons provide us with a powerful connection to nature, but sometimes that connection brings unimaginable heartache.
“I also want to extend my best wishes for a swift recovery to the other skiers who were caught in the avalanche and survived,” the mayor added.
The two men’s names were not released.
Then about a half-hour after the Cottonwood avalanche, three skiers were caught in a snow slide at the nearby Dutch Draw slopes, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Two skiers were able to ski out of the slide, while one skier was buried,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. “The two unburied skiers quickly dug out the third individual. All three skiers were safely escorted off the mountain and did not require on-site medical treatment.”
According to authorities, that avalanche was 40 yards wide and was trigged by a skier.
“While we are relieved that there were no fatalities or major injuries, this incident serves as an important reminder of the risks of backcountry recreation,” the sheriff’s office said.
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