SAM Magazine - Snowbird, Ut., December 14, 2008 - An in-bounds avalanche in the Eye of the Needle area of Snowbird's Mt. Baldy claimed one life on Sunday in the wake of a storm that pounded both Utah and Colorado and pushed avalanche danger into the red zone. A similar in-bounds slide in the Lover's Leap area of Vail's Blue Sky Basin buried a man up to his waist.

In Snowbird, the slide occurred on the first day that the impacted terrain was opened. The area is steep and rocky, with a variety of terrain features. The area sees ample skier traffic and was controlled by Snowbird's patrol prior to be opened by the public. The victim was named as 27-year-old Heather Gross. Gross was buried just less than one hour, but was alive and unconscious upon rescue. She died at an area hospital later that day.

In Vail, slide activity in the Lover's Leap area also occurred after the area was controlled by ski patrol, catching one skier but resulting in no injuries. The incident resulted in the closure of the area, but it is expected to re-open on Monday after additional control work by the patrol. The slide, which ran for approximately 100 feet, fractured three feet deep and was approximately 150 feet wide.

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