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Ashley Hayes reporting For 25 years he patrolled the ski slopes of Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Lots of folks in town knew Bill Lennon. Now they mourn his sudden death by electrocution.
Karen Cunningham, Family Friend: "A friend, a real good friend. A great person passed away this morning."
48 year-old Bill Lennon was last seen heading to work at his hydro-electric plant in Little Cottonwood canyon. When his wife woke up this morning he wasn't there. That's when she went looking for him.
Sgt Kris Ownby, Salt Lake Co Sheriff: "His wife found him this morning. The alarm came on. She came out and didn't see him. In a search of the grounds found him near the pole where he worked."
Also around the pole were wires, and testing equipment. Authorities are unsure how Lennon was electrocuted; they've called OSHA to investigate.
Tom Pollard, Mayor of Alta: "He was an advocate for all of the employees and the workers up here. He was just a great part of the community. He lived life with an incredible enthusiasm."
Karen Cunningham, Family Friend: "Just a fantastic person, couldn't ask for anybody better."
While friends describe Lennon as the ultimate outdoorsman; a skier, patrolman, and mountain biker, they say it was his vision to make Alta into more than a ski resort, but also a fulltime community.
Lennon served more than a decade on the Alta City Council. He was also an explosives expert, a bomber with 25 years at Alta Ski Patrol.
He founded ACE, a community arts program that sponsors the wildflower festival each summer.
"It's a great loss"
In a town of only a few hundred residents, every person feels that loss.
Lennon's friends say he died doing what he loved. He was known to spend long hours at the mouth of Little Cottonwood canyon working on his power plant. He sold the hydro-electric power to Utah Power.
