NEED TO KNOW
- A 30-year-old ski patroller has died after he was critically injured in an avalanche in California on Dec. 26
- Another ski patroller was also injured in the crush of snow in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range
- At the time, the pair was conducting “avalanche mitigation work,” the ski resort said
A 30-year-old ski patroller has died after he was critically injured in an avalanche in California the day after Christmas.
On Sunday, Dec. 28, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area announced that ski patroller Cole Murphy died after he was caught in a crush of snow in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range just three days before.
The organization described Murphy as “an experienced patroller with a deep passion for the mountains and love for his career.”
On Friday, Dec. 26, at around 7:30 a.m. local time, the ski patrol team for Mammoth Mountain was conducting “avalanche mitigation work” when an avalanche took place on Lincoln Mountain, the ski resort said in an initial update. Two patrollers were trapped in the slide and were transported to a nearby hospital. While one patroller, later identified as Murphy, was seriously injured, his colleague was treated for “possible broken bones,” Mammoth Mountain shared that same day.
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and the Mono County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
Since the beginning of the week, the area had received more than five feet of snow. It was a dangerous week for snow-related activities. On Dec. 26, the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center issued a warning to locals.
“Very dangerous avalanche conditions persist as heavy snowfall and strong southwest winds continue into the afternoon,” the agency said. “Even if things ease up later today, natural and human-triggered avalanches remain likely. Give it time, give it space, and avoid being on or under slopes steeper than about 30 degrees.”
Following Murphy’s death, his family shared a moving statement about the ski patroller, who “felt most alive” on the mountain.
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“In these tender days, he is held close by his family and friends who cherished him deeply,” the Murphy family said in a statement shared by Mammoth Mountain. “Cole moved through the world with kindness, intention, and a wholehearted devotion to the life he chose.”
Alamy
Murphy is survived by his partner, Hayley, who was at the “center of [his] heart.” For the 30-year-old, working at Mammoth Mountain as a ski patroller was “a calling.”
“It was his place of purpose, his community, and his second home,” his family said.
The man’s loved ones weren’t the only ones grieving. In a separate tribute, the Mono County Sheriff’s Office mourned the young man.
“Please hold Cole’s family, friends, and coworkers close in your heart. We consider our ski patrollers to be first responders, and therefore family,” officials said. “We grieve his loss and thank him for his service. Rest easy, Cole.”
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