SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — A skier was found dead Saturday after being caught in an avalanche the day before in the Uinta mountains.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office said they received a report Friday evening of a missing man who was skiing alone in the backcountry area near Hoyt Peak, east of Kamas and Marion, and didn't return home when expected.
Search and rescue crews went out to look for the missing skier Friday night but had to pause the search due to dangerous conditions. They resumed the search Saturday morning and found the skier dead around 10:50 a.m.
Officials said it appeared that the victim was caught in an avalanche.
"The Summit County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family of the victim," Saturday's update read. "The SCSO extends its gratitude to Park City Mountain Snow Experts, Park City Mountain RECCO, the Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau, the Utah Avalanche Center, and the Wasatch Backcountry Rescue Team for their invaluable assistance in the search and recovery efforts."
It was initially reported by the Utah Avalanche Center that the missing person was riding a "snow bike" until the sheriff's office confirmed that he was actually skiing.
The Utah Avalanche Center released its preliminary report of the avalanche, identifying the victim as 51-year-old Micheal Janulatis from Marion. They said he was a beloved member of the backcountry skiing community.
"Micheal was a friend of Utah Avy," the statement reads in part. "This is a tremendous loss for our backcountry family and we will miss him deeply."
Link to Preliminary Report:https://t.co/2Y5PSALFqe pic.twitter.com/8RP8Sg6m9d
— UtahAvalancheCenter (@UACwasatch) March 9, 2025
