A backcountry skier was killed after being buried in an avalanche in Idaho, officials said

An experienced backcountry skier died Friday in Idaho after being caught in an avalanche, officials said.

The unidentified skier was with another experienced backcountry skier on Donaldson Peak in Idaho’s Lost River Range, the Sawtooth Avalanche Center said.

A skier triggered the slope collapse when he descended to the spot where the two planned to ski, officials said. He was caught in a small avalanche, which triggered a second, larger avalanche.

The second skier used a satellite communications device to call for help before skiing down the avalanche path. She used a rescue device and a probe wand to locate the first skier, who was buried under about 1.5 meters of snow.

She dug him out with a shovel before performing CPR. Search and rescue teams evacuated him, but he did not survive, officials said.

The man’s death is the third this week Two skiers died after an avalanche in the mountains outside Salt Lake City on Thursday. A third skier survived, officials said. Two snowmobilers in Idaho and Washington died after individual avalanches March.

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the number of avalanche deaths in the U.S. this winter is 16. This is fewer than the average of about 30 people killed by avalanches in the U.S. each year.