A 21-year-old Park City resident died from injuries sustained in a serious accident Friday at Park City Mountain Resort.
Summit County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Andrew Wright said the Sheriff’s Office learned from PCMR ski patrollers that the victim, whose name has not been released, was visiting the resort with his girlfriend and friend. The three had exited the King Con lift and began down the mountain. When the girlfriend and friend made it to the bottom of the run, they waited for the man to come down the mountain, however, he never arrived.
The man’s girlfriend called a ski patroller for help, who then radioed for other PCMR ski patrollers to go down the same run in search of him, according to Wright.
Wright said the Sheriff’s Office learned ski patrollers found the man at the bottom of what they believed to be a 30-foot cliff or embankment near the Temptation ski run. Ski patrollers began life-saving efforts and called for medical personnel.
The man was transported by medical helicopter to the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, according to a press release from PCMR. Medical responders continued evaluating the victim and providing emergency care, but the man was pronounced dead at the hospital. The extent of his injuries were not immediately available.
“Park City Mountain and the entire Vail Resorts family extend our deepest sympathy and support to the family and friends of this guest,” said Mike Goar, the vice president and chief operating officer at PCMR in a prepared statement.
The Sheriff’s Office was not notified about the death until Sunday, when they were informed by the Park City Police Department that the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office was looking for a case number involving the death of a skier. A Sheriff’s Office deputy then met with PCMR ski patrol to verify the accident happened in unincorporated Summit County.
“Up to that point, law enforcement had not been notified of the ski accident which allegedly occurred in Summit County’s jurisdiction,” Wright said in a prepared statement.
The case was forwarded to investigators for follow-up, but Wright said the death appears to be “a tragic skiing accident.”
Lindsay Hogan, the director of communications for PCMR, said the resort could not provide any additional details in a statement but noted the man was pronounced dead by the Salt Lake City hospital’s medical team.
“We cannot speak to the medical facility’s protocols for fatality notifications,” the statement said. “Separately, our ski patrol team has been working closely with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office to provide the information and access they need for their investigation.”