Avalanche death in Utah first of the season
By Justin Keppler, Ski Channel
It is with great remorse and sadness we report Jamie Pierre was killed by an avalanche in Utah on Sunday.
The legendary skier, cliff hucker and notoriously wild spirited Pierre was taken over a cliff in an avalanche triggered while riding with a friend at Snowbird Mountain Resort in Utah.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Pierre triggered the avalanche while snowboarding with a friend near the South Chute area around 3:15 pm Sunday afternoon. The area they were riding would have technically been considered within the bounds of the resort had it been open. While his friend was unharmed, Pierre’s injuries from his fall proved fatal and was dead by the time officials arrived on the scene.
The mountains around Snowbird, Utah have been getting pounded with snow this season and have accumulated 14 inches of fresh snowfall in the past 48 hours alone. The mountain is not officially open yet, which means there hasn’t been any avalanche control done on the resort slopes. Between early season conditions and the recent accumulation, the resulting snowpack became extremely dangerous.