Avalanche in Wyoming Kills Skier, Injures Another

One skier died and another was injured after a group of four triggered an avalanche near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on Saturday, according to Teton County Search & Rescue (TCSAR). The incident occurred in the Breccia Cliffs area of Togwotee Pass, approximately 20 miles east of the park.

TCSAR responded to an emergency alert for an avalanche burial just before noon on Saturday. Initial reports indicated that a group of four skiers triggered the avalanche while ascending a skin track. One skier was fully buried, while another was partially buried and sustained a lower leg injury. The remaining two members of the party were unharmed.

Rescue teams faced significant challenges due to severe weather conditions. A helicopter was initially deployed but had to return to base as conditions prevented an air response. Snowmobile teams were also unable to reach the skiers due to the difficult terrain. A team of skiers using skins—fabric attachments that aid in climbing—reached the scene at approximately 3:47 p.m., nearly four hours after the alert was issued.

The injured skier was treated on-site and transported out of the backcountry using a litter, or rescue basket, to a waiting ambulance. The deceased skier, identified by Teton County Coroner Brent Blue as Kenneth Goff, 36, of Lander, Wyoming, was recovered using a Sked, a type of stretcher used by emergency responders.

Goff, an experienced outdoorsman, worked as a nurse and with Lander’s search and rescue team. He also taught climbing and mountaineering courses at the National Outdoor Leadership School. He is the fifth person to die in an avalanche in the U.S. this winter.

TCSAR emphasized the importance of including detailed information in emergency alerts, such as the nature of the emergency, mechanism of injury, and the number of people involved.