Photo: Teton County Search and Rescue // Facebook
A skier was killed and another injured due to a large avalanche in western Wyoming. The incident occurred on Saturday, in a backcountry area 20 miles east of Grand Teton National Park.
According to a post to Facebook by Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR), the organization received a call regarding an avalanche burial on Togwotee Pass just before noon. Since the emergency alert came in via iPhone satellite text-to-911, it was initially unclear whether the avalanche involved snowmobilers or skiers.
Soon after, TCSAR learned that a group of four skiers had triggered the slide. They’d been ascending a steep slope at an elevation of 10,400 feet, when a five-foot-thick slab of snow broke away and fully buried one skier. Another was partially buried and sustained an injury to his leg.
Adverse weather conditions turned away both a TCSAR rescue helicopter and snowmobile team, forcing rescuers to access the accident site via skis. Four hours later, they arrived and began applying treatment to the injured skier and other members of the party, as well as the process of recovering the deceased skier buried in the snow. Working into the evening, volunteers were able to transport the injured skier out in a litter to a waiting ambulance, then take the deceased skier out via a sled.
“This serves as an important reminder of how much longer a mission can take when the helicopter is grounded, and is another factor to consider in your backcountry planning should an accident occur,” warned the rescuers. “TCSAR extends its most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased skier.”
As CBS News reports, the deceased skier was the fifth person this winter to be killed by an avalanche in the United States.
