SALT LAKE CITY — One man is in critical condition and another is in serious condition after they were trapped in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon Saturday.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office originally announced a man had died, but the office soon after sent a corrected press release saying he remained in critical condition.
The slide was first reported near Butler Fork at 10 a.m. by two separate backcountry skiing groups who were in the area where the avalanche occurred, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Two men were caught in the slide, and members of their groups began rescue efforts immediately to locate them. Both men were pulled from the snow before first responders arrived.
They were transported via helicopter in critical and serious condition to Intermountain Medical Center. A 57-year-old man was transported in critical condition. A 48-year-old man who was in serious condition is also receiving treatment.
Parts of state Route 190 were shut down for several hours Saturday for the backcountry rescue operations, Utah Department of Transportation officials said. The road reopened around 1 p.m.
"This tragedy is a sobering reminder of how quickly backcountry conditions can turn dangerous. Thank you to the skiers on scene who acted immediately and began rescue efforts in challenging conditions," Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said.
An 11-year-old Massachusetts girl died Thursday in a backcountry avalanche near Brighton Ski Resort. In Wasatch County, a man was killed in an avalanche while riding a snowmobile with his son on Wednesday, authorities say.
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Cassidy Wixom
