Kurt Damschroder, 57, of Park City, Utah, was killed after being caught in the avalanche, Summit County Sheriff Justin Martinez said in a tweet Sunday.
Damschroder was one of two skiers who triggered the avalanche in an area known as Square Top outside the resort boundaries near the Park City Mountain Canyons Village resort, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. press release.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Kurt’s girlfriend and family,” Martinez said in the tweet.
The second skier was able to dig for Damschroder and “tried to save lives,” but was forced to leave due to dangerous conditions, the release said.
“Due to the extreme avalanche danger, rescuers were unable to enter the area before nightfall,” the sheriff’s office said.
Summit County Search and Rescue teamed up with a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to find the missing skier.
As snowstorms pile up during the winter months, the consistency of the snow can change and become unstable and dangerous. Backcountry travelers are urged to analyze the snow layers and test their stability before skiing or snowmobiling.
The sheriff’s office warned people to use “extreme caution” when entering the backcountry, checking avalanche conditions at the Utah Avalanche Center, and using proper equipment when skiing.