Pro skier Jamie Pierre killed by avalanche in Utah
The world got reminded of the ever-existing dangers of back-country skiing with the death of the professional skier Jamie Pierre, who lost his life to an avalanche at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort in the Wasatch mountains of Utah on Sunday afternoon, November
13.
The 38-year-old Pierre was pushed off the cliff by the avalanche that was triggered as he ventured out of the off-limits Alta Ski Area and dropped into the steep slope of Snowbird while travelling towards Peruvian Cirque and Gad Valley.
Lieutenant of Salt Lake City’s Unified Department, Justin Hoyal, told the media that they were informed about the avalanche and its victim via telephone call at around 3:13 p.m. on Sunday. They immediately rushed to the site along with the Wasatch Backcountry
Rescue. By the time they got to the victim of the avalanche, Pierre, he was already dead.
The reports gathered by the Utah Avalanche Centre suggest that the two skiers had most probably triggered another avalanche prior to the one that claimed the life of Pierre. However, the deceased skier’s friend did not back up the report, saying that he
had not heard any sound of snow collapsing in the snowpack.
Pierre had earned himself quite a reputation over the years. His fearless attitude and remarkable skills had made him one of the most respect athletes in the sport. It was this courage and skills that allowed him to stun everyone by setting a World Record
for jumping off a 255-foot cliff at Grand Targhee Wyo. He had also worked in a number of films from Warren Miller Entertainment, Teton Gravity Research, Rage Films and others.
Level 1’s Josh Berman remembered Pierre as an exciting, enthusiastic and optimistic person. According to Berman, “His passing is a sad reminder that there's an inherent risk in what we do, even when potential risks are most calculated and seemingly nonexistent
-- really, we can never be careful enough. I'll always remember Jamie for his infectious excitement, enthusiasm, positive attitude, and love for the sport -- outside of all the cliff-hucking antics he was an exceptionally talented skier and a truly kind soul.”
According to the authorities, Pierre’s death is the first casualty caused by an avalanche in America this season.
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