BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — Three men were injured, one critically, after two separate avalanches struck backcountry skiers in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Saturday.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office initially reported that one man had died but later issued a correction stating he remained in critical condition.
The first avalanche was reported about 10:00 am near Butler Fork. Two separate backcountry skiing groups witnessed the slide. Two men were caught in the avalanche, and members of their groups began rescue efforts immediately. Both were dug out before first responders arrived.
The men, ages 57 and 48, were flown by helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center. The 57-year-old was listed in critical condition, and the 48-year-old was in serious condition.
State Route 190 was closed for several hours during rescue operations and reopened around 1 p.m., according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
In a separate incident about 2:45pm, a 40-year-old man was caught and carried by an avalanche near Days Fork while backcountry skiing. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The incidents come amid a deadly week for Utah’s backcountry community. An 11-year-old Massachusetts girl was killed Thursday in an avalanche near Brighton Ski Resort, and a man died Wednesday in Wasatch County while snowmobiling with his son.
