On Sunday night, May 19, a concerned relative contacted the Unified Police Department that 60-year-old Charles Esposito had not returned from skiing at Snowbird, Utah. Police responded to the call and located Esposito’s vehicle in the Snowbird parking lot. Tracking his phone, officers narrowed down his location to an area near the Gadzoom Lift which is closed for the season. Despite tracking the location of his phone, the search team was unable to find Esposito Sunday night.
The search resumed the following morning at 8 on Monday and Esposito’s body was found near the Little Cloud Lift. He was pronounced dead at 10:55 a.m. by the search team. Sergeant Aymee Race with the Unified Police Department told Fox 13 Salt Lake about the scene:
“It looked like a very unfortunate accident had occurred and our condolences do go out to the family for this. It’s just a very unforeseen, sad time for them.”
Officials do not suspect foul play, however, Esposito’s death is still under investigation. The Utah Medical Examiner’s Office is determining the cause of death.
It’s important to be prepared for mountainous terrain whether traversing in the backcountry or at a ski area.ย The weather and snow conditions are constantly changing, and taking the right precautions can make all the difference in a ski outing. It’s encouraged to ski with a buddy, inform someone of your plans, and know before you go.