A 27-year-old skier has died in a fatal fall in Grand Teton National Park’s Death Canyon, the National Park Service said.
The victim was identified as Radcliff Spencer, of Jackson, Wyoming. Spencer tragically died while attempting to ski the Apocalypse Couloir in Death Canyon on Friday, park officials said ina press release.
A climber, who witnessed the tragedy, contacted park officials. Rangers from the Grand Teton National Park and Teton County Search and Rescue and a helicopter immediately responded to provide medical care.
“Resuscitation efforts were attempted but proved unsuccessful due to the nature of injuries,” the park service said.
Spencer’s body was airlifted from the mountain and transferred to the Teton County Coroner, the statement said.
Four other people from his party were transported out of the canyon by helicopter.
“While the snowpack remains generally stable, hazards still exist and may carry high consequence in technical terrain,” the park service said.
A couloir is a type of slope or gully on a mountainside that is known to be extremely narrow and steep. The Apocalypse Couloir is described as “highly technical and dangerous” by skiers and snowboarders, a report said.
Death Canyon has an elevation of 6,644 feet, according to the U.S Geological Survey.
The canyon is a U-shaped valleyformed by glaciersabout 15,000 years ago, CBS News reported.