Idaho doctor killed in weekend avalanche

AP News Staff & Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

MACKAY — A backcountry skier has died aft being buried by an avalanche successful Idaho, officials said.

The avalanche occurred Friday erstwhile 2 knowledgeable backcountry skiers were walking connected Donaldson Peak successful Idaho’s Lost River Range, nan Sawtooth Avalanche Center said.

One skier triggered nan slope illness while climbing down to wherever nan brace were going to ski. He sewage caught successful a mini avalanche, which group disconnected a 2nd larger avalanche.

The 2nd skier utilized a outer connection instrumentality to telephone for help, and past a rescue transceiver and probe rod to find nan first skier buried nether astir 5 feet of snow.

She performed CPR connected nan first skier aft digging him retired pinch a shovel. Search and rescue teams evacuated him, but he didn’t survive.

Fox News identifies nan skier arsenic Dr. Terrence “Terry” O’Connor, a nature-loving expert from Ketchum who reportedly worked arsenic an emergency room expert astatine St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center.

The Idaho EMS Physician Commission, which O’Connor was a personnel of, pays tribute to him successful a Saturday greeting Facebook post.

“Terry was an outstanding expert and played a pivotal domiciled successful nan early days of nan COVID pandemic really demonstrating nan nationalist wellness domiciled of nan EMS aesculapian head wrong a community,” nan Commission writes. “His nonaccomplishment will beryllium missed not only successful nan vale itself but passim nan full authorities and region. We definitive our condolences to his family and nan Wood River Fire and EMS community.”

O’Connor and his skis partner were some knowledgeable backcountry skiers, according to nan Sawtooth Avalanche Center.

The fatality brings this winter’s tally of avalanche deaths successful nan U.S. to 16, according to nan Colorado Avalanche Information Center. An mean of 30 group dice successful avalanches each twelvemonth successful nan U.S.

Avalanche information specialists opportunity their occupation has go much difficult successful caller years arsenic ambiance alteration brings utmost weather. Rising numbers of skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers person besides been visiting backcountry areas since nan COVID-19 pandemic.