The skier was one of two who triggered the avalanche in the backcountry in an area known as Square Top outside of resort boundaries near the Park City Mountain Canyons Village resort, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The second skier was able to “dig to the victim and attempted lifesaving efforts,” but was forced to leave because of dangerous conditions, according to the release.
“The extreme avalanche danger prevented rescuers from getting into the area before nightfall,” the sheriff’s office said.
Summit County Search and Rescue is working with a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter in efforts to find the missing skier, whose identity has not been released.
As snowstorms pile on top of each other throughout the winter months, snow’s consistency may change and become unstable and dangerous. Backcountry travelers are urged to analyze the layers of snow and test their stability before skiing or snowmobiling.
The sheriff’s office cautioned people to use “extreme caution” when entering the backcountry, check avalanche conditions at the Utah Avalanche Center and use proper equipment when skiing.
