A skier was rescued Friday after sliding approximately 800 feet down the south face of Mount Superior in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon. The man, visiting from out of town with two companions, had removed his skis and donned hiking boots when he lost his footing and slid uncontrollably down the mountain, Fox 13 News reports. Salt Lake County Search and Rescue responded, securing him on a sled and lowering him down the mountain using ropes before transporting him to the hospital.
“He was alert, some lacerations and some bruises—no broken bones that we could tell,” Ryan Clerico, Vice Commander of Salt Lake County Search and Rescue, told Fox 13 News. “His helmet did save his life. His helmet was pretty badly damaged in the slide and fall.”
A LifeFlight helicopter was used to hoist one of the other skiers off the mountain after he felt uncomfortable skiing down on his own. The third man was able to ski out on his own.
Clerico emphasized the dangers of spring skiing and recommended that those venturing into such conditions carry an ice axe to help stop any potential slides. This incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with spring skiing and the importance of proper equipment and preparedness.
