VIDEO: Woman Hospitalized After Sending it Off a Backcountry Booter in Utah

A 19-year old woman was hospitalized after hitting a jump in the Utah backcountry with her friends. The group built the jump near Aspen Grove on Mount Timpanogos where she broke three ribs and punctured a lung. The group called 911 with a chief complaint of rib pain and lower back pain.

At 4:59 PM on January 31, 2021, Utah County Sheriff Search and Rescue were paged to rescue the skier. A hasty team responded to the scene followed by a team with materials to carry the subject out. The hasty team made a medical assessment and deemed her injuries critical and called a Life Flight helicopter. The subject was hoisted to the helicopter and brought to an ambulance in the parking lot. She was transported to the ICU where she is expected to make a full recovery.

The group of five had no avalanche equipment with them on a “considerable” (3/5) avalanche danger day. They built the jump in a known avalanche path off of Mount Timpanogos. A member of the group checked the forecast prior to heading out. Their local forecasting center is the Utah Avalanche Center. Sergeant Spencer Cannon said the group was near the area where three men died in an avalanche in 2003.