A man skiing alone in the backcountry of the Uinta Mountains was killed in an avalanche on Friday. According to law enforcement, Search and Rescue resources were immediately deployed at the report of a missing skier in the Hoyt Peak area and initiated a coordinated search. Due to hazardous and ineffective searching conditions, Search and Rescue commanders made the decision to temporarily suspend the search late on March 7th, with plans to resume operations at sunrise. Search efforts resumed at first light on March 8th. During the initial search, teams identified an area where an avalanche had recently occurred. It was unclear at that time whether the overdue skier had been involved in the avalanche. Due to extremely hazardous conditions, additional resources were requested to assist with avalanche mitigation, allowing searchers to operate safely and effectively. Tragically, at 10:49 AM on March 8th, the overdue skier was found deceased. It was determined that the individual had been caught in the avalanche. The victim has been identified as a 51-year-old male from Summit County.
