Avalanche in Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains, Wyoming

Two skiers were killed by an avalanche on Ralph's Slide.

A two to four feet deep, 200-foot-wide avalanche claimed the lives of two skiers while a third escaped injury by clinging to a tree. The slide occurred on Ralph's Slide in Rock Springs Canyon shortly before 1430MST. The backcountry area is just outside the south boundary of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Neither victim was wearing a transceiver making the search more difficult. Rescuers located the skiers within an hour of being notified, but both were pronounced dead at the scene.