Update: Lone Peak Canyon avalanche search and rescue information
May 24, 2024, 8:41 PM
The Department of Public Safety helicopter was called to support Lone Peak avalanche rescue operation. (Utah Avalanche Center)
(Utah Avalanche Center)
SALT LAKE CITY- New information has been released from the rescue and recovery of a few skiers after a fatal avalanche on Lone Peak in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
According to the Utah Avalanche Center, one of the skiers was halfway buried and was able to free himself. After this, he started looking for his peers under the snow with his avalanche beacon. He was able to dig them out partially.
A Department of Public Safety helicopter was called to support this rescue mission.
The surviving skier was taken to the hospital while the deceased skiers were still half-buried in the snow.
With possible exposure to avalanches, rescuers started their research. They performed control work for a brief amount of time, which resulted in a large slide near the accident. However, the weather quickly worsened.
Hoping for better conditions, crews decided to wait until the morning to continue their search.
Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Wasatch Back County Rescue, Utah Avalanche Center and Utah Department of Public Safety gathered again at 6 a.m. on Friday.
With agreeable weather conditions, eight Wasatch Back County Rescuers and Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search colleagues went in a helicopter into the accident area.
After the skiers and equipment were recovered and transferred to a safe place in Draper, everyone was down by 10 a.m.
