BRIGHTON, Utah — A juvenile girl died Thursday after being caught in an avalanche near Brighton Ski Resort. Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams were called just before 1:00 p.m. to assist Brighton Ski Patrol and Wasatch Backcountry Rescue, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Rescuers located the girl along the slide path and immediately began first aid, the sheriff’s office said. She was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later died, said Unified police detective Quin Wilkins. Her name and age have not been released.
The avalanche occurred in an area considered out of bounds for recreational skiing, Wilkins said. The girl was at the resort with her family. Authorities later learned the girl was not carrying an avalanche beacon.
“I want to thank all the responding agencies for their quick response to this avalanche. The conditions are ever changing with the unpredictable snowpack. This incident is a reminder that avalanches can happen in an instant. I offer my heartfelt prayers to the victim and her family.” -Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera
Multiple agencies responded to the scene. Wilkins said the slide area has been evaluated to ensure there is no ongoing risk, though it remains out of bounds.
The death was the second avalanche fatality in Utah in the past 24 hours. On Wednesday, a man was killed while snowmobiling in the backcountry near Midway with his son, according to the Utah Avalanche Center.
