Police: Four skiers die, four injured by avalanche

SALT LAKE CITY >> An avalanche killed four skiers and injured four others Saturday in a popular recreation area, making it one of the deadliest avalanches in Utah history, authorities said.

The Unified Police Department said it was alerted to the avalanche about 11:40 a.m. after receiving a faint distress call from an avalanche beacon in Millcreek Canyon.

The skier-triggered avalanche swept up eight people in their early 20s to late 30s who were in two groups touring the backcountry, Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler told the Salt Lake Tribune. The avalanche took place at an elevation of 9,800 feet, the Utah Avalanche Center said.

All eight skiers had avalanche beacons, the department told KSTU TV.

The survivors were able to dig themselves out of the snow and ice, but their medical conditions are unknown, the department said. The survivors were able to find and dig out the other four, but they had already died, the department said.

Search and rescue teams from several agencies are working to recover the bodies.

The victims’ names have not yet been released.

Drew Hardesty with the Utah Avalanche Center told the Tribune that the victims were experienced skiers who were well known in the community.

The Utah Avalanche Center had deemed the avalanche risk in the area “high.” Hours before the avalanche, it tweeted out a warning that there was “High Danger. Large natural avalanches overnight. Dangerous avalanche conditions. Keep it low angle.”