Emergency crews from several agencies rescued one skier and were searching for at least two others after an avalanche of snow near Lone Peak in Utah on Thursday morning, the authorities said.
One person was rescued by helicopter, while search-and-rescue crews were still looking for two others after reports of the avalanche near the peak, southeast of Salt Lake City, Sgt. Aymee Race, of the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, said.
Search-and-rescue teams were dispatched about 10:15 a.m., Sergeant Race said. The area was being surveyed by helicopter before determining whether search-and-rescue teams could move on foot, she said.
The rescued skier was taken to a hospital, the Police Department said. Their condition was unclear.
The avalanche had been reported in the backcountry, Benjamin Porter, a spokesman with the Unified Fire Authority, said.
It was unclear how much snow had recently fallen on Lone Peak.
Some areas nearby had recorded up to two feet of new snowfall over the past week, with most of it falling over the weekend, Christine Kruse, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, said.
Most avalanches occur from December through April, when snowfall amounts are normally higher, but they can happen anytime of the year, including during the spring when fresh or melting snow can create problems, according to the United States Forest Service. In March, 14 people were caught in avalanches in Utah, according to the Utah Avalanche Center.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
