Authorities find body of snowboarder missing since avalanche

OGDEN — The body of a 34-year-old snowboarder missing since a weekend avalanche was found Monday, authorities said.

The body of Ryan Smedley, of clearfield, was found around 12:30 p.m., according to Capt. Klint Anderson of the Weber County Sheriff's Office.

Smedley was caught in the avalanche as he and John Pincombe, 32, of Pleasant View were snowboarding in Taylor's Canyon Saturday.

They had reached the site by going through Snow Basin Ski Resort and going off the back side of the mountain. The area is not part of the resort and is not maintained against avalanches, Anderson said.

Pincombe searched for Smedley and called authorities from a cell phone to say his friend had been caught in a slide and he couldn't find him, according to Anderson.

The men are described as experienced snowboarders, but did not have shovels or avalanche beacons, said sheriff's Lt. Jeff Malan.

Searching was called off at 10 p.m. Saturday as conditions deteriorated and the risk of more avalanches increased.

On Sunday, whiteout conditions prevented helicopters from dropping avalanche control explosives until 4 p.m., Anderson said.

Three explosives were then dropped, releasing a considerable amount of snow above the search area, he said. Searchers aided by rescue dogs then moved in and searched until about 9 p.m. Sunday.

The search resumed Monday morning with helicopters, searchers and rescue dogs.