Avalanche in Western Wyoming Two skiers were buried over the weekend, killing one and injuring the other.
Teton County Search and Rescue said the fatal accident occurred on Togooti Pass in the Brescia Cliffs area on Saturday afternoon.
The two skiers were part of a group of four people ascending a backcountry mountain about 20 miles east of Grand Teton National Park when they triggered an avalanche.
One skier was completely buried while the other was partially buried due to leg injuries.
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A large avalanche in western Wyoming on Togotee Pass killed Kenneth Goff, an experienced outdoorsman, and injured another skier on January 4, 2025. (Teton County Search and Rescue)
An emergency alert for a known ice burial was issued before noon Saturday, but it took first responders nearly four hours to arrive at the scene due to weather conditions.
Teton County Search and Rescue initially deployed teams to respond via helicopter, snowmobile and sled. The helicopter ended up having to return because “conditions did not allow for an air response” and the snowmobile team was also unable to reach the skiers due to “Difficult circumstances.”
The team of skiers wearing skins — fabric that is attached to the bottom of skis to help climb hills — eventually reached the party at 3:47 p.m. They treated the injured skier and used a litter to get the person out of the backcountry and into an ambulance.
Teton County search and rescue teams had difficulty reaching the group of skiers due to difficult weather conditions. (Teton County Search and Rescue)
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They were also able to recover the skier's body and used a sled to get him out of the backcountry. Teton County Coroner Brent Blue identified him as Kenneth Goff, 36, according to the Associated Press.
Goff, who was from Lander, Wyoming, Experienced outdoorsman He worked as a nurse and with the city's search and rescue team, according to his biography on the wallet's website.
Kenneth Goff, 36, has been identified by the Teton County coroner as the skier killed in the avalanche. (Kenneth Goff/Portfolio webpage)
He has worked as a rock climbing instructor in various capacities since October 2011 and has been teaching climbing and mountaineering courses at the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander since May 2017.
Jove is the fifth person Killed by an avalanche In the United States this winter.
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“This serves as an important reminder of how long a mission can take when the helicopter is off the ground, which is another factor to consider when planning your country in the event of an accident,” Teton County Search and Rescue wrote on Facebook.
“TCSAR expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased skier.”
