SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — An investigator says a skier caught in an avalanche that killed four people in Utah survived by clinging to a tree through the onslaught of rushing snow and later helped save two people.
The avalanche forecaster investigating the slide said Tuesday that when the snow stopped moving, the skier let go of the tree and started searching for others.
He and another skier followed signals from avalanche beacons and dug through several feet of snow, freeing two people from a separate group.
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This winter has been especially deadly in the U.S., with avalanches coming amid an increasing interest in backcountry runs as skiers try to avoid crowded resorts during the pandemic.