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Amanda Butterfield ReportingA snowboarder steps on unsteady ground and triggers a deadly avalanche at Brighton. The slide swept away the man this afternoon. It happened out of bounds on a run near Pioneer ridge.
Atilio Cremaschi Yavar was from Chile, and a familiar face at Brighton Ski resort. He'd been riding here for the past several years. His fatal move was when he stepped out on a ridge, and the ridge gave way.
If you look very closely at the top of Pioneer Ridge, you can see a break in the snow. That's where 27-year-old Atilio Cremaschi Yavar was peering over when the snow gave way.
Patrick Eibs/Patrol Director: "He was right above a cliff band. He was above a cliff and rock, went down through the rocks."
Two men and a dog were part of the rescue group first called out, around 2 pm, and even for them the snow conditions were dangerous.
Patrick Eibs/Patrol Director: "We were getting some roller balls on the way out, so I spread my crew out about 100 feet apart."
They found Yavar quickly, but still, he'd taken quite a fall and been buried longer than 25 minutes.
Patrick Eibs/Patrol Director: "No, he was not alive when we found him."
Because Yavar didn't have an avalanche beacon on, a dog is the next best thing to find a buried body. But it wasn't Jake who made the discovery, it was George Jan.
George Jan/Rescue: "There was part of clothing and a hand sticking out of the snow."
They located Yavar with poles about 20 minutes after the slide hit. Once Yavar was un-buried, they started CPR and a chopper flew him to LDS Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Deputies say Yavar usually snow boards with avalanche gear, but not today, when the avalanche threat was high.
"Whenever there's rapid temperature changes, temp, snowfall, water, the hazard just goes up."
That's what these rescuers want everyone headed to the slopes to remember.
Jan: "When you do go out there, carry a shovel, probe and tranceivers."
Take a friend, and a cell phone.
Officials also remind back country skiers to check the Forest Service's avalanche forecasting site. Today's conditions were listed as moderate to considerable.
So far this ski season three people have died in Utah avalanches. That's down from eight deaths during last ski season.
