Kenneth Goff, an experienced outdoorsman, was killed in an avalanche in western Wyoming
Avalanche in western Wyoming buried two skiers over the weekend, killing one and injuring the other.
Teton County Search and Rescue said the fatal incident happened on Togwotee Pass in the Breccia Cliffs area Saturday afternoon.
The two skiers were part of a group of four climbing a backcountry mountain about 20 miles east of Grand Teton National Park when they triggered an avalanche.
One skier was completely buried while the other was partially buried with leg injuries.
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A large avalanche in western Wyoming at Togwotee Pass killed Kenneth Goff, an experienced outdoor athlete, and injured another skier on January 4, 2025. (Teton County Search and Rescue)
An emergency warning for a known avalanche burial was issued just before midday on Saturday, but it took emergency services almost four hours to reach the scene due to weather conditions.
Teton County Search and Rescue initially deployed response teams using helicopters, snowmobiles and skis. The helicopter eventually returned because “conditions did not allow for an air response,” and the snowmobile team was also unable to reach the skiers due to “challenging conditions”.
A team of skiers on skins – a fabric that attaches to the bottom of skis to help climb hills – finally arrived at the party at 3:47 p.m. They treated the injured skier and used a stretcher to ski the person from the backcountry to an ambulance.
Teton County Search and Rescue teams had a hard time reaching the group of skiers due to poor weather conditions. (Teton County Search and Rescue)
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They also managed to recover the skier’s body and used a ski to get him out of the backcountry. Teton County Coroner Brent Blue identified him as Kenneth Goff, 36, according to The Associated Press.
Goff, who was from Lander, Wyoming, was experienced outdoorsman and worked as a nurse and on the city’s search and rescue team, according to his resume on the portfolio website.
Kenneth Goff, 36, was identified by the Teton County Coroner as the skier who died in the avalanche. (Kenneth Goff / Portfolium website)
He has worked as a climbing instructor in various positions since October 2011, and since May 2017 he has been teaching climbing and alpinism courses at the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander.
Goff is the fifth person killed by an avalanche in the United States this winter.
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“This serves as an important reminder of how long a mission can last when the helicopter is grounded and is another factor to consider in off-the-ground planning should an accident occur,” Teton County Search and Rescue wrote on Facebook.
“TCSAR extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased skier.”
