Man dies as a result of injures from skiing off cliff outside Snowbasin
Feb 13, 2024, 10:44 AM | Updated: 6:15 pm
FILE- Terrain signs marking ski runs near Mt. Ogden Bowl at Snowbasin Ski Resort. A skier is in critical condition after he skied off a cliff in an out-of-boundaries area at Snowbasin Resort on Monday afternoon. (Ravell Call/Deseret News)
(Ravell Call/Deseret News)
HUNTSVILLE, Utah — A skier who was critically injured in an accident involving extreme backcountry terrain at Snowbasin Ski Resort, has died.
The resort said the guest died at a hospital after being transported by helicopter.
In a statement, the resort said the skier had left the boundaries of Snowbasin resort to access out-of-bound terrain. But the accident resulted in the guest re-entering the boundary of the resort, where Snowbasin Ski Patrol responded immediately.
According to Lt. Colby Ryan of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office, another Snowbasin skier called emergency responders at about 1:40 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12. It is unknown if the injured man was with anyone else.
The skier had skied off a cliff in the area of Mt. Ogden Bowl. An area, according to Ryan, with “extreme cliffs.”
The skier was in an out-of-boundary area when he fell from a 100-foot cliff, Ryan said.
He was found on the John Paul ski run according to emergency personnel.
Snowbasin skier was out-of-bounds, which is allowed but not always safe
At times, skiers may leave resorts through boundary gates. And, per Ski Utah, resorts may open or close these gates as they see fit.
The gates that provide access to terrain inside of National Forests are always open. But to access them, Ski Utah said that the inbounds ski resort terrain used to reach them must also be open.
According to Ryan, the man was unresponsive when Snowbasin ski patrol and medical personnel got to him.
“He was in critical condition. They were able to land a helicopter and fly him to a local hospital,” said Ryan.
At this time, it is unknown whether the skier had backcountry safety gear at the time of the accident.
Those leaving ski resort boundaries should always be equipped with an avalanche beacon, shovel, probe, and at least one partner, accordin to the Utah Avalanche Center.
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