An aerial view of the deadly avalanche site in Millcreek Canyon, Utah, Feb. 6, 2021.
Four skiers died in an avalanche in Utah on Saturday, bringing the total number of US avalanche fatalities to 15 over the last week the deadliest seven-day period since 1910.
An expert with the National Avalanche Center told BuzzFeed News he suspects that the coronavirus pandemic, and the rise of people doing outdoor activities, could be playing a role in this accident cluster. In the past seven days, we have had 15 avalanche fatalities in the US and many close calls that could have resulted in more deaths and serious injuries, said Simon Trautman, national avalanche specialist at the center.