Mammoth ski patroller dies in mitigation avalanche
Mammoth Mountain in California says 30-year-old ski patroller Cole Murphy died Sunday from injuries sustained when he and another patroller were caught in an avalanche on Lincoln Mountain around 7:30 a.m. Friday while conducting avalanche mitigation work before the resort opened. The second patroller suffered serious injuries requiring hospital care outside the area as the resort, which had received more than five feet of snow in 72 hours, shut all operations Friday and remained closed Saturday due to extreme avalanche danger.
đ Key Facts
- Two Mammoth Mountain ski patrollers were performing avalanche mitigation on Lincoln Mountain around 7:30 a.m. Friday when an avalanche occurred before public opening.
- Patroller Cole Murphy, 30, later died from his injuries, while the second patroller sustained serious injuries and was evaluated for possible broken bones.
- Mammoth Mountain received over five feet of snow in about 72 hours, suspended all operations Friday and stayed closed Saturday because of high avalanche danger.
- A Mammoth ski patroller was also killed in a mitigation avalanche at the resort in February, highlighting ongoing avalanche risks for safety staff.
đ Relevant Data
Over the past 10 ski seasons from 2014/15 to 2023/24, there were 224 avalanche fatalities in the United States, averaging approximately 22.4 deaths per year, with the vast majority occurring in backcountry areas.
NSAA Avalanche Safety Fact Sheet â National Ski Areas Association
In the same 10-season period, only 3 in-bounds avalanche fatalities involved ski area employees, generally while performing job-related duties.
NSAA Avalanche Safety Fact Sheet â National Ski Areas Association
Avalanche fatalities in the United States are predominantly male, with 86-87% of victims being men, based on analyses of incidents from 1950 to recent years.
Avalanche Fatalities in the United States: A Change in Demographics â PubMed
Climate change may make deadly avalanches in the Sierra Nevada range more frequent by causing more intense storms and bigger avalanches at higher elevations, even as lower-elevation areas see fewer due to reduced snow.
Will avalanches in California worsen with climate change? â CalMatters