Ephraim, Utah – Despite a substantial rescue effort, an avalanche in central Utah on Saturday has claimed the life of a backcountry skier.nGarrett Smith, 26, was inspecting Horseshoe Bowl in the Manti-La Sal National Forest around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday when a cornice lining the bowl gave way, thundering over 1,000 vertical feet to the base of the bowl while carrying three members of a seven-member party of Utah skiers. Smith, an experienced backcountry skier who was wearing avalanche gear, was extricated from the debris field after approximately 15 minutes by his companions. He was revived via CPR and transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, where he died on Sunday.
The group had left the Ephraim Canyon trailhead via snowcat, and arrived atop Horseshoe Bowl via the Skyline Drive. One member of the group on belay was unable to get the cornice to break, so two members of the party moved onto the slope to dig snow pits and analyze the snow pack. Deciding that conditions were unsafe to ski, the two were in the process of returning to the snowcat when the cornice gave way under the weight of two others, according to a report filed with the Utah Avalanche Center. One of the men standing on the cornice when it gave way rode the debris field to the base of the bowl, but was unharmed. It was then that the group realized that the two who had been digging snow pits were also buried by the slide.
Rescue officials were summoned via cell phone while other members of the group set about locating the two buried victims. The first was mostly buried but had an arm and his head free and was located quickly. Smith was located thereafter, not breathing and without a pulse. Vital signs were regained after an hour of CPR efforts.
Search and rescue teams comprised of approximately 75 volunteers from both Sanpete and Sevier counties arrived on the scene as a storm descended upon the area, limiting visibility to a few feet. Over 2,100 feet of rope was deployed to reach the victim and haul him back to the top of the bowl for transport to the hospital.
“Once the avalanche occurred, the party performed a text book rescue, and really did everything right. Amazingly, they pulled their friend out of the snowpack dead, and brought him back to life. This is an outstanding effort on their part,” Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Brett Kobernik wrote in his report of the incident. “This accident really comes down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. While the party was trying to do the right thing by gathering information, they were doing so in the start zone of a major avalanche path, an incredibly hazardous area & high risk activity. Unfortunately, the backcountry snowpack can be a very harsh and unforgiving judge, and the party paid the ultimate price for this mistake in the loss of a loved one.”
“A tragic incident has occurred, but self rescue efforts were performed by party members unceasingly until help arrived,” Smith’s family said in a statement released to the press. “Even though Garrett has passed, the rescue was successful in bringing him back to us so that goodbyes could be said with family and loved ones.”