A Wanship man, 50-year-old Stephen Jones, went missing at the Canyons side of Park City Resort on Sunday, January 31st. Sadly, his body was recovered on Tuesday. Jones was killed in an avalanche in the backcountry just outside the resort boundary. According to the Utah Avalanche Center, the avalanche occurred on the Rips Ridge/Pointy Peak area near a run called Shale Shot.
Jones was remembered by friends and family as an experienced backcountry skier. He was wearing an avalanche beacon that allowed rescue crews to find his body, which was buried in about three feet of snow. Jones was skiing alone.
According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the avalanche was 60 feet wide and 500 feet long. Sunday’s avalanche forecast was “considerable” on all aspects above 8,000 feet. This is the second avalanche fatality in Utah for the season. The first claimed the life of Doug Green, who was skiing on Gobblers Knob on January 21st.
Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Steve Jones.
Be sure to check the Utah Avalanche Center’s website for a full report about this tragic avalanche accident.