Avalanche Injures Ski Patroller At Snowbasin Resort During Control Work
On December 22, 2015, a veteran ski patroller at Snowbasin Resort in the Wasatch Moutains of Utah was caught in an avalanche while performing avalanche control work. According to FirstTracksOnline.com, ski patroller Mike Erickson, 42, was caught around 7:45 AM after sending a hand charge in the John Paul area on Allen Peak within the ski area boundaries.
Erickson deployed his avalanche airbag when the slope released above him. He was “swept through some trees and rocks” before being partially buried by the slide. Two of Erickson’s fellow patrollers rescued him promptly and took him by toboggan to the base and then on to the local hospital where he was “treated for some cracked ribs and possibly other injuries.”
The John Paul and Porcupine lifts, near where the incident occurred, had a delayed opening. The Utah Avalanche Center has rated the avalanche danger in the Wasatch near Ogden at High.
Snowbasin Resort is northeast of Salt Lake City, Utah in the Wasatch Range. The resort opened in 1939 and features 3,000 skiable acres.
Be safe out there!
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