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Tragedy struck Utah this week as two separate avalanches claimed the lives of an 11-year-old girl and a father, marking the state’s first avalanche fatalities of the season. The incidents have sent ripples of sorrow through the local communities, highlighting the inherent dangers of winter sports in the backcountry.
The young victim, identified as Madelyn Eitas from Rochester, Massachusetts, was swept away while backcountry skiing with her family near the Brighton Ski Resort. According to reports from FOX13 Salt Lake City, Madelyn was caught in the deadly slide on Thursday after venturing into an off-limits area known as The Rock Garden.
Officials indicated that Madelyn was buried under the snow for as long as 30 minutes before search and rescue teams arrived on the scene. Despite the valiant efforts of rescuers, who administered first aid before she was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake confirmed that Madelyn succumbed to her injuries.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a somber reminder of the perils associated with skiing outside designated resort boundaries. As the local community mourns, attention remains on ensuring safety measures are reinforced to prevent further tragedies as winter sports enthusiasts continue to flock to the slopes.
The 11-year-old girl was skiing with her family at Brighton Ski Resort in Utah on Thursday, according to officials. (FOX13 Salt Lake City KSTU)
“It’s a very, very solemn and depressing thing to notify people of,” Unified Police Det. Quin Wilkins told the station.
The child’s death came a day after another avalanche in Wasatch County killed a father.
The father was snowmobiling with his juvenile son in the Snake Creek area west of Midway when the slide buried him, the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office said. First responders, however, were unable to immediately reach the scene due to hazardous conditions.
The father was snowmobiling with his juvenile son in the Snake Creek area west of Midway when the slide buried him, the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office said. (Utah Avalanche Center)
The son was able to use an avalanche beacon to find his father and dig him out of the snow, according to officials. Despite the son’s efforts, his father died at the scene.
“The Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic incident,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We also recognize the courageous efforts of the juvenile involved and the responding personnel who assisted in this difficult situation. Our thoughts are with all those impacted.”
Officials have warned the public to stay away from the backcountry this weekend following the two avalanche deaths.
Search and rescue officials warned the public about dangerous conditions on the mountains in Utah this season following the two fatalities. (Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office)
“Conditions on the mountain are as bad as they have been all winter!” Wasatch Search and Rescue commander Kam Kohler told FOX13. “The deepest, softest snow is the most treacherous right now. It’s really, for most places, a no-go!”
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera echoed concerns about dangerous conditions.
“This winter has created layers within the snowpack that can be unpredictable,” Rivera said in a statement. “We want people to enjoy the Cottonwood Canyons, but safety must come first. When conditions are unstable, the smartest decision may be to avoid backcountry recreation altogether.”
The deaths in Utah happened in the same week that an avalanche in Northern California killed eight skiers, including six mothers taking a trip together, near Lake Tahoe. Six other skiers in the group were rescued, while one additional person was presumed dead.