Body of Missing Skier Found Buried In Avalanche Debris Near Shale Shot In The Pointy Peak Area Near Park City, Utah
Summit County, Utah – On Tuesday, February 2, 2016 authorities found the body of Stephen Jones, 50, buried in 3′ of avalanche debris in an area called Shale Shot near Pointy Peak in the Wasatch Mountains outside the boundaries of Canyons Village at Park City in Utah.
Jones, of Wanship, Utah, was an experienced skier and was equipped with an avalanche beacon. On Sunday, January 31, 2016 he had gone skiing at Park City Mountain Resort and never returned home. Authorities were notified that evening and his vehicle was found at the Cabriolet lot at Canyons Village.
Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Summit County Search and Rescue, and Park City Ski Patrol were not able to find any sign of Jones in the resort or the backcountry on Monday. On Tuesday with the help of search dogs and UDOT helicopters, authorities located a signal from an avalanche beacon and found Jones buried in about 3′ of avalanche debris.
The avalanche occurred in an area called Shale Shot in the Rip’s Ridge/Pointy Peak area outside of Park City Mountain Resort. According to the Utah Avalanche Center the avalanche danger was considerable at the time of the incident. They will complete a full report on Wednesday, February 3, 2016. This is what they noted so far:
- Elevation: 9100′
- Aspect: NW
- Slope Angle: 40
- Trigger: Skier
- Weak Layer: Depth Hoar
- Depth: 3′
- Width: 40′
- Vertical: 300′
We will try to update this post as more information becomes available.
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Read more about this Utah avalanche fatality from these sources:
- FirstTracksOnline.com
- KSL.com
- Salt Lake City Tribune
- Fox13News.com
- CAIC Avalanche Report
- Avalanche.org Avalanche Report
- Utah Avalanche Center – Accident Report
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This is the 2nd avalanche fatality in Utah this year and the 16th avalanche fatality in the United States.
