6 died previously in Utah avalanches this season

Published: Saturday, Jan. 15 2005 12:00 a.m. MST

Summary

Since mid-December and prior to Friday's tragedy, six people had been killed in avalanches in Utah this season. They include:

• Garrett "Louk" Gordon and David Wayne Johnson, killed in separate slides in Sanpete County on Jan. 9.

• Russell "Troy" Tolbert, killed in an avalanche in the Trout Creek area of Wasatch County on Dec. 11.

• Bruce Quint and Melvin Denis, also killed Dec. 11 in a slide while snowshoeing in the Mineral Fork area of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

• Zachary Eastman, killed by an avalanche while backcountry skiing above Brighton and Solitude on Dec. 10.

The deaths already surpass the total for the entire 2003-04 season, which was four.

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