Rescue work is underway for two skiers killed in an avalanche

LONE PEAK CANYON — Efforts are underway to recover the bodies of two men killed in an avalanche near Lone Peak Summit.

According to the Unified Police Department, search and rescue teams began recovering the bodies of two men, ages 23 and 32, who were found skiing in the Big Willow area in Lone Peak Canyon near Lone Peak around 7 a.m. Friday Summit was buried in an avalanche at Little Cottonwood Canyon. A third man was partially buried, but was able to free himself from the depths on Thursday and call for help.

According to police, the three men were very experienced ski tourers who had hiked into the area on foot.

On its website, the Utah Avalanche Center said: “They had gone from skiing to packing boots and were near the summit when the avalanche occurred.”

“The person at the top was caught and carried down a ridge or ledge on the viewer’s right side. This person was partially buried and was able to free himself. The other two were caught and carried downhill on the viewer’s left side.” These two were completely buried and unfortunately did not survive.

According to the Utah Avalanche Center, the slide occurred at an elevation of 10,600 feet. It was 500 feet long, 250 feet wide and 2 feet deep.

The emergency services were able to confirm on Thursday afternoon that the two missing men had died. But with a storm front moving through the area with rain, snow and high winds, they were unable to reach the victims due to unstable conditions and fears of triggering another avalanche, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said.

The sheriff’s office said Friday that conditions on the mountaintop had improved significantly and several crew members, both from the ground and some by helicopter, were en route to recover the bodies.

The names of the victims, one from out of state and the other from Utah, have not yet been released.

This story will be updated.