Avalanche buries skier under snow for up to 23 minutes, Utah rescuers say

A skier was buried in snow for up to 23 minutes after an avalanche swept through a gully, Utah rescuers said.

A guided group of eight skiers planned to ski through Silver Fork on Saturday, March 12, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team said. One of the skiers in the group triggered an avalanche that swept through a gully.

Several rescue teams rushed to the area, including ski patrol from Solitude Ski Resort.

“Patrollers reported that there indeed had been one single burial, and no other victims in the avalanche,” rescuers said on Facebook.

The skier had been buried under the snow for 15 to 23 minutes before rescuers could dig him out. The man was unconscious but was still breathing.

“Given the nature of the injuries and patient status, two Life Flight helicopters were deployed and responded within 20 minutes of the 911 call,” officials said. “The LF helicopters arrived on scene, one with a hoist and one without.”

The skier was flown to a nearby medical center, rescuers said.

“We are heartened by the outcome of this incident, and glad it was not any worse,” rescuers said. “Thank you to the many different organizations for pooling resources so quickly and working with us to perform this rescue.”

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 11 people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of March 13, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

This story was originally published March 13, 2022 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Avalanche buries skier under snow for up to 23 minutes, Utah rescuers say."