Pro Skier Jamie Pierre Dies in Avalanche

(Newser) – A snowboarding accident at a closed resort in Utah has claimed the life of pro skier Jamie Pierre. The 38-year-old extreme athlete and a friend were on a steep slope at the Snowbird Resort—which doesn't open until next weekend and hasn't cleared the slopes of danger—when he triggered an avalanche that swept him over a cliff. Pierre wasn't buried but was declared dead at the scene from injuries sustained as the avalanche carried him over rocky ground.

Pierre, who appeared in numerous ski films, was best known for a world record-setting 255-foot cliff jump at Wyoming's Grand Targhee Resort in 2006. Todd Jones, a cinematographer who worked with Pierre for many years, says the extreme skier had decided to tone things down in recent years to concentrate on life with his wife and their two children. Pierre said, "I’m going to take a step back and keep it safe for the family. I want to be a good dad," Jones tells the Salt Lake Tribune. "Unfortunately, he was just out with a buddy having fun and maybe his guard was down."