utah, rescue, — Credit: Salt Lake County SAR

A snowboarder had to be rescued from Big Cottonwood Canyon this weekend after hitting a tree and breaking ribs and a femur.

This was Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue’s 5th rescue of 2020.

Rescue #5, Injured snowboarder, Beartrap Fork in BCC

Call-out time: 5:27 PM, Saturday, March 28th, 2020

Salt Lake County Search and Rescue got called out at around 5:30PM for injured male backcountry snowboarder. The patient had injured his ribs and had a possible femur fracture. When Search and Rescue arrived two medics from the fire department in Big Cottonwood canyon were already with the patient. SAR members and Unified fired loaded the patient into a toboggan and slid him out to the road where he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. All members got off the mountain around 7PM.

Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, 3/28/20

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“Thats my buddy.. we made it from top of beartrap aspens down before the manky snow grabbed him and he hit the tree about 1/4 mile from BCC road. Thanks to all search and rescue for helping him and following me back up the mtn to get him. Hes in St. Marks recovering.. probably not the way he wanted to spend his bday 😕”

– Jordan, injured snowboarder’s friend via Facebook

Salt Lake County has issued an order stating “residents are discouraged from any outdoor recreation that poses an enhanced risk of injury or that could stress the ability of local first responders to address the COVID-19 emergency.”

If you do want to backcountry ski/ride from Salt Lake City, please follow the guidelines in the link below:

Guidelines For Backcountry Use During the Coronavirus Crisis

Salt Lake City “Stay Safe. Stay Home” Order:

The “Salt Lake County: Stay Safe. Stay Home” order takes effect 12:01 Monday morning and stays in effect until 11:59 p.m. April 13.

The order includes:

* New stay at home directives.

* Closures of common gathering places.

* New rules for businesses that will stay open.

* Restrictions of food service activities.

* Clarification of essential businesses.

* Ensuring essential infrastructure is not impacted.

The intent of this public order is to ensure that the maximum number of people self-isolate in their homes or places of residence to the maximum extent feasible, while enabling essential services to continue, to slow the spread of COVID-19 to the greatest extent possible.

You can find the Health Order on our website at https://slco.org/health/COVID-19/business/.

Salt Lake County major Jennie Wilson

Salt Lake City “Stay Safe. Stay Home”

Recreation Guidelines:

COVID-19 Prevention for Parks and Sports

• Children’s playgrounds are closed.

• Team sports, including pickup games, are prohibited.

• Do not share equipment with others.

• Sport fields and courts may be open but should be used individually or only by members of the same household.

• We encourage individual sports and activities that allow 6 feet to remain between people not in the same household.

• Recreational areas, including parks, trails, trailheads, dog parks, and sports fields and courts should be used only while maintaining 6-feet of space between people not in the same household.

• Wash or sanitize hands frequently throughout the activity.

Backcountry Guidelines for Coronavirus Crisis:

Many backcountry skiers are not following guidelines set up to protect us from spreading Coronavirus via social distancing and only recreating within your very near local area.

Many backcountry skiers are not following guidelines set up to prevent injury to avoid creating an additional burden on our healthcare system.