Skier injured in Neffs Canyon avalanche, transported to hospital
Dec 14, 2022, 12:01 PM | Updated: Feb 14, 2023, 4:11 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — A person injured in an avalanche in the Neffs Canyon area was finally rescued off the mountain Wednesday evening.
The man was rescued and transported to the hospital just after 7 p.m.
According to Sgt. Melody Cutler there was a reported avalanche in the canyon after a man was skiing there.
Officials with the Unified Police Department said the man, who is in his 30s, was trapped in snow following the slide.
“We have a male who was up here skiing when that avalanche struck and was caught in that avalanche and he was buried up to his chest for 45 minutes,” Cutler said.
Search and rescue responding to reported avalanche in Neffs Canyon. Gathering details… Caller reported two people.@FireAuthority still trying to find out whether anyone is trapped or injured. @KSL5TV #ksltv @kslnewsradio pic.twitter.com/5b2GPm4uIT
— Jed Boal (@jedboal) December 14, 2022
The man called for help and someone out there heard his cries.
“To his luck there was a Unified Firefighter and EMT who was out in the area recreating and heard his cries for help and was able to respond and dig him out,” Cutler said. “He stayed with him the entire time.”
The man broke his femur and has another arm injury.
Search and Rescue crews were still working to get him off the mountain as of 6:30 p.m.
Cutler explained because of the weather they couldn’t get helicopters up to him so they would have to ski him down.
“The ground was very unstable,” Cutler said. “The entire slab had not come down, so getting our rescuers on there was quite frightening.”
The avalanche took place in Thomas Fork and was about two hundred feet wide and about one and a half to three feet deep.
The canyon is in the Mount Olympus area. A massive avalanche occurred in the area in May 2019, sending trees, boulders and other debris down the canyon.
This is a breaking story. It will be updated.
