An experienced outdoorsman is killed in a Wyoming backcountry avalanche, while another skier is injured.
On Togwotee Pass, an avalanche claimed the life of a 36-year-old skier, who was later identified as Kenneth Goff.
Over the weekend, a skier died and another was injured in an avalanche that occurred in western Wyoming.
On Saturday afternoon, a fatal incident occurred on the Togwotee Pass in the Breccia Cliffs area, as stated by Teton County Search and Rescue.
A group of four skiers, including two individuals, were ascending a mountain in the backcountry approximately 20 miles east of Grand Teton National Park when they triggered an avalanche.
One skier was fully submerged while the other sustained leg injuries and was only partially buried.
On Saturday, an emergency alert was issued for a known avalanche burial at around noon. However, it took first responders almost four hours to arrive at the scene due to the unfavorable weather conditions.
The snowmobile team was unable to reach the skiers due to challenging conditions, while the helicopter returned because the conditions did not allow for an air response.
The injured skier was rescued by the team of skiers on skins, who treated the person and used a litter to ski them out of the backcountry to an ambulance at 3:47 p.m.
Kenneth Goff, 36, was identified as the skier whose body was recovered from the backcountry by Teton County Coroner Brent Blue, according to The Associated Press.
Goff, a nurse and experienced outdoorsman from Lander, Wyoming, worked with the city's search and rescue team, as stated on his resume on a portfolio website.
Since October 2011, he has worked as a rock climbing instructor in various capacities and taught climbing and mountaineering courses at the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander since May 2017.
This winter, the United States has seen its fifth avalanche-related fatality, and the victim's name is Goff.
Teton County Search and Rescue reminded on Facebook that a grounded helicopter can significantly increase the duration of a mission, which is an important factor to consider in backcountry planning in case of an accident.
"The family and friends of the deceased skier are being mourned by TCSAR."
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