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MILL CREEK CANYON -- It was another day of thundering avalanches in the Wasatch Mountains Sunday. Backcountry skiers triggered two separate slides in Mill Creek Canyon.
The skiers managed to survive, but one wound up with severe injuries.
Authorities say three middle-aged skiers triggered a slide in an area called Alexander Basin at the top of Mill Creek Canyon around 2:30 p.m.
Two of the skiers escaped unhurt, but the third suffered very serious leg injuries including multiple compound fractures.
Matt Knotts, 41, used his cell phone to communicate with rescuers.
"He's been pretty frantic on the phone with us when we've been talking with him, probably because of the bleeding issues as well as the compound fracture issues," said Terri Sommers with the Unified Police Department. "That's been a concern. Obviously he wasn't in an area that was readily accessible to get in there as quickly as we would have liked."
Once rescuers got to Knotts, it took several hours to put on splints and stabilize his injuries.
"Bottom line, because of the compound fractures and the fractures, we just don't want to pluck him out because we could puncture an artery or do some of those other things that would make the situation much worse," Sommers said.
The rescuers themselves were in danger from other potential avalanches. The rescue helicopter couldn't hover in the immediate area for the same reason.
Eventually crews were able to stabilize Knotts enough to move him. "We had to lower him down to a point where AirMed was able to load him and take him out of here," said Sommers.
Knotts was flown to University Medical Center in Salt Lake City just before 5:30 p.m. After dropping him off, the helicopter went back to pick up the other two skiers, as well as the rescuers from the avalanche scene.
Two different skiers triggered a second avalanche Sunday afternoon at nearby Gobblers Knob. One man was caught in that slide and suffered minor shoulder injuries but was able to walk out on his own.
Veteran backcountry skier Bill Twinting told KSL conditions are safe on south-facing or lower-angle slopes, but in other places, the danger is great.
"The bigger, deeper bowls facing north and east, you want to be really careful," said Twinting. "Know what you're doing. Better to avoid it and not have a tragedy."
The Utah Avalanche Center reported "considerable" avalanche danger in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City on Sunday.
E-mail: hollenhorst@ksl.com
