BRIGHTON, Utah — An avalanche occurred Saturday afternoon in Big Cottonwood Canyon, claiming the life of one skier and injuring another.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said the slide happened around 12:45 p.m. in the Cardiff Fork/Silver Fork area.
A search and rescue team responded to the area, and officials said around 2:30 p.m. that the injured skier was being brought down from the mountain where it occurred.
Around 3 p.m., a helicopter from the Utah Department of Public Safety landed on the road in the canyon. Both directions of the highway (SR-190) were at a standstill as of 3:30. Officials said the helicopter was used to bring the deceased victim's body down from the mountain.
The deceased victim, identified as 59-year-old Higinio Juan Gonzalez, and the injured victim, also in his 50s, were together when the avalanche occurred.
VIDEO BELOW: Craig Gordon with the Utah Avalanche Center discusses the latest conditions
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson provided a statement Saturday night in response to the tragedy.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the skier who tragically lost their life today," she wrote. "I can directly relate to the overwhelming grief, having personally lost a family member to the mountain in Salt Lake County nearly 30 years ago. Our stunning mountains and canyons provide us with a powerful connection to nature, but sometimes that connection brings unimaginable heartache. I also want to extend my best wishes for a swift recovery to the other skiers who were caught in the avalanche and survived. We are profoundly grateful for the dedication of our Salt Lake County Search and Rescue team and others who assisted. Their tireless commitment and skill deserve our deepest appreciation.”
The deceased victim was identified in a GoFundMe as Quino Higinio Gonzalez.
Meanwhile, the Summit County Sheriff's Office responded to an avalanche in the Dutch Draw area. They said three skiers were caught in it, and one was buried. The other two were able to quickly dig the buried skier out, and all three made it down the mountain safely in the end.
