Eight skiers confirmed dead in California avalanche
Eight of the nine skiers missing in an avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada have been found dead.
A father and a girl riding a snowmobile with their son were killed in separate avalanches in Utah, and the latest avalanche death comes as recent storms have brought heavy snow and unstable, remote terrain to mountains across the Western states.
The deaths occurred on February 18 and 19 while two different families were participating in winter recreational activities, according to local authorities and news outlets. The avalanche comes on the heels of the deadliest avalanche in the United States in decades, which occurred in California’s Sierra Nevada on February 17, killing eight backcountry skiers and leaving one more missing and presumed dead.
On February 18, a man and his minor son were snowmobiling in the Snake Creek area of Wasatch County near Midway, Utah, about 80 miles from Salt Lake City. The Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office said the father was buried in an avalanche around 4 p.m. The son used an avalanche beacon to find his father and dig him out of the snow, but the man was already dead, the sheriff’s office said.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office praised the son’s “courageous efforts” in trying to save the man.
“The Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic incident,” the statement said.
The next day, in Salt Lake County, a girl and her family were caught in an avalanche in a remote area near Brighton Ski Resort in a mountainous suburb of Salt Lake City, NBC News and Salt Lake City’s FOX13 reported.
Officials told FOX 13 that the family was skiing outside the resort grounds when an avalanche buried an 11-year-old boy in the snow. Family members searched for her, and authorities used a drone to search for her, NBC reported. She was taken to a hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries, news outlets reported.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera told NBC News: “With unpredictable snowfall, conditions are always changing, and this incident is a reminder that avalanches can happen in an instant.” “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.”
After recent storms dumped several feet of snow on the state early in the week, Utah officials warned recreationalists that remote areas away from ski areas are especially dangerous. An avalanche warning was issued for mountain ranges around the state on Feb. 19, as recent snowfall and strong winds have increased the risk of both natural and man-made avalanches, according to the Utah Avalanche Center.
Rivera said in a statement posted on social media that people venturing into remote areas should take safety precautions and consider never going in dangerous conditions. The sheriff’s office says people should check the Utah Avalanche Center’s daily avalanche forecast before heading out and make sure they don’t travel alone, share their route and return time with others, bring avalanche equipment such as beacons, shovels and probes, as well as extra clothing, food, water and supplies, and are trained to recognize avalanche terrain.
The latest fatal accident in Utah occurred after a group of 15 skiers were caught in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe, California, on February 17 while returning from a three-day stay at a remote and remote cabin through a mountain guide company. Six people were rescued after being stranded for several hours and survived, while eight were found dead. One person remains missing and presumed dead, and search teams have not been able to recover the victim’s body from the mountain due to continued harsh winter conditions and a high risk of further avalanches.
Among the dead were a group of women whose families were experienced skiers, including Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekhar and Kate Witt.
“We are shocked beyond words,” the family said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. “Our focus now is to support these children through this incredible tragedy and honor the lives of these incredible women… They were passionate and accomplished skiers who cherished the time they spent together in the mountains.”
Contributor: Amanda Lee Myers
