Search crews recover bodies of 2 backcountry skiers buried by Utah avalanche

By AMY BETH HANSON and RICK BOWMER
Associated Press

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Search crews have recovered the bodies of two backcountry skiers who were swept away and buried by an avalanche in the mountains outside Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera says teams uncovered the bodies on Friday morning. Sgt. Aymee Race says the men were brought off the mountain via helicopter, and their bodies were taken to the medical examiner’s office. The men, ages 23 and 32, were killed in a snowslide Thursday morning in the area of Lone Peak in the Wasatch Range southeast of Salt Lake City. The Utah Avalanche Center says the men were climbing up a ridge on a slope and near the top when the slide was unintentionally triggered.