Avalanche sweeps away two backcountry skiers, killing one, Utah officials say

An avalanche swept away two backcountry skiers in a Utah canyon, killing one and seriously injuring the other, officials reported.

The 150-foot-wide avalanche slid about 700 feet at the 10,000-foot elevation of the east bowl of the Silver Fork area of Big Cottonwood Canyon, near Alta Ski Area, KSL reported.

The slide took place at about 12:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, Salt Lake County sheriff’s officials told KSTU.

One of the skiers died in the soft-slab avalanche, the Utah Avalanche Center reported. The other had to be airlifted by helicopter with serious leg injuries.

The cause of the avalanche remains under investigation, the center said.

Both skiers are men in their 50s, Gephardt Daily reported.

The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office identified the skier killed in the avalanche as Higinio Juan Gonzales, 59, of Salt Lake City in a Monday, Feb. 10, news release.

A short time later, a second avalanche threatened three skiers in Summit County, KTVX reported. Two outraced the avalanche, then dug out the third, who had been buried.

No injuries were reported in the 1:15 p.m. avalanche, KTVX said.

Big Cottonwood Canyon is about a 25-mile drive southeast from Salt Lake City.

What to know about avalanches

Avalanches happen quickly and catch people by surprise. They can move between 60 and 80 mph and typically happen on slopes of 30-45 degrees, according to experts.

Skiers, snowmobilers and hikers can set off an avalanche when a layer of snow collapses and starts to slide down the slope.

In the U.S., avalanches are most common from December to April, but they can happen at any time if the conditions are right, National Geographic reported.

At least eight people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of Feb. 8, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

People heading into snow should always check the local avalanche forecast at Avalanche.org, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, and have an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel ready.

“Emergency services are usually too far away from the scene of an avalanche, and time is important,” Simon Trautman, a national avalanche specialist, said. “A person trapped under the snow may not have more than 20 or 30 minutes. So, in a backcountry scenario, you are your own rescue party.”

If an avalanche breaks out, it’s best to move diagonal to the avalanche to an edge, Trautman said.

“Try to orient your feet downhill so that your lower body, not your head, takes most of the impact,” officials said. “You may also get into a tight ball as another way to protect your head.”

This story was originally published February 9, 2025 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Avalanche sweeps away two backcountry skiers, killing one, Utah officials say."