A Mammoth Mountain ski patroller has died after he was caught in an avalanche while doing mitigation work on Friday, the resort said.
At about 7:30 a.m., before skiing opened, Mammoth Mountain said the two patrollers were performing avalanche mitigation work when an avalanche occurred on Lincoln Mountain.
One of the patrollers sustained serious injuries and was transported to a hospital outside of the area for further care, according to resort officials. In an update Sunday evening, Mammoth Mountain said the patroller, identified as 30-year-old Cole Murphy, died from his injuries.
“Cole moved through the world with kindness, intention, and a wholehearted devotion to the life he chose,” read a message from the family shared on social media. “Serving on ski patrol wasn’t just a role for him–it was a calling.”
The other ski patroller was being evaluated for possible broken bones.
This comes after the mountain received more than five feet of snow in about 72 hours. The same system brought relentless winds, rain and heavy snow to other parts of California.
Mammoth Mountain suspended all operations on Friday due to the high avalanche danger. It remained closed on Saturday.
In February, a ski patroller died after she was caught in an avalanche while doing mitigation work.
Mammoth Mountain is California’s highest lift-served resort, with a summit at 11,053 feet. It’s nestled on the border of Yosemite National Park in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains.
Visit Mammoth describes Lincoln Peak as a volcanic dome northeast of Mammoth Mountain. It features avalanche chutes on the northern face that are remnants of a 500-meter by 350-meter landslide, leaving behind a horseshoe-shaped bowl.
