A photo taken from the Summit County Sheriff's Office drone operators show Square Top after mitigation led to additional slides of the snow. (Photo/ Summit County Sheriff's Office @SummitCountySO)
Rescuers were called in to Square Top Mountain in Utah on Saturday after a backcountry avalanche buried at least one person.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office received the report of the avalanche at 3:26 p.m. local time on Saturday. The avalanche occurred off resort boundaries near Park City Mountain Canyons Village.
At least one man was buried by the avalanche, but one of his friends was able to pull him out. The condition of the man who was buried has not been released by officials. It is also not clear if there were any other people involved in the avalanche.
"The area is extremely unstable and rescuers are working to get into the area safely," The Summit County Sheriff’s Office said on Twitter.
According to a news release from Sheriff Justin Martinez, the avalanche was triggered by two skiers, one of which was the man trapped in the snow.
Due to extreme avalanche danger, rescuers were not able to get to the area before nightfall and rescue operations, conducted by Summit County Search and Rescue and the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter, had to resume on Sunday morning.
Rescue operations began again at 7 a.m., local time. The Utah Department of Public Safety assisted in the search with the use of a helicopter. The county's sheriff's office said they are trying to make the site where the skier was buried safe for so personnel can reach it.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office posted photos of the avalanche site on Sunday morning. According to Martinez, mitigation efforts in the area led to additional slides.
Avalanches can naturally occur from new snowfall on existing snowpack, a significant change in temperature, the breaking of snow cornices, or even earthquakes.
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There were a few warmer days in the area at the end of the week and into the weekend, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert.
As rescue efforts get underway, Reppert said the following days will also be warmer than normal for the area, and there is a chance for more snow on Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Skiing in the backcountry is inherently risky because it is not controlled or patrolled, according to the National Ski Patrol. The condition of the snow is also unpredictable compared to at resorts.
According to the Utah Avalanche Center, avalanche danger is currently high for high elevations facing northwest through north and southeast. Travel is not recommended in avalanche terrain.
"The Summit County Sheriff's Office reminds people to use extreme caution when entering the backcountry," the news release read. "People should check avalanche conditions at the Utah Avalanche Center, avoid areas where there is avalanche danger and be prepared with the proper equipment."
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