Two skiers have been killed in an avalanche in the mountains of Utah that occurred after several days of spring snowstorms, authorities said.
The victims were two men aged 23 and 32, whose names have not been released.
A rescue team responded just after 10am on Thursday to an avalanche reported near Lone Peak in the Wasatch range, south-east of Salt Lake City, according to the Salt Lake county sheriff, Rosie Rivera.
Another skier, who was able to dig himself out of the snow, had been rescued by midday and was taken to the hospital, Rivera said.
A rescue team in a helicopter flew over the area and confirmed the other two men were deceased, Rivera said.
Conditions were not safe enough to allow for a recovery on Thursday, and crews planned to go out on Friday morning, weather permitting, Rivera said.
Rivera said she believed the man who was rescued was the one who called for help. Officers were speaking with him at the hospital to get more information about what happened, the sheriff said. The skiers hiked into the area on Thursday morning, she said.
The deaths bring this winter’s tally of avalanche deaths in the US to at least 15, which is less than the average of about 30 people who are killed by avalanches each year. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center, which keeps track of the figure nationally, tallied 13 deaths before authorities announced Thursday’s fatalities. In January, an avalanche swept through a popular Lake Tahoe resort in California, killing one person.
The site of the avalanche, Lone Peak, is one of the highest peaks in the Wasatch range, towering over Utah’s capital city. Its steep, rugged terrain makes it a popular destination for advanced backcountry skiers, and experienced climbers can be found scaling its sheer granite walls in the warmer months.
The slide happened in the Big Willow Cirque, said Craig Gordon with the Utah Avalanche Center.
“This is very serious terrain. It’s steep. It’s north-facing. The crew that was up there would have to be experienced,” Gordon said.
Rivera said the victims were experienced skiers who were prepared for the conditions.
About 2.5ft (76cm) of heavy, wet snow fell in the area in the past three days during storms that also brought very strong winds, Gordon said.
“With spring, avalanche conditions can change in an instant,” he said.
