PICTURED: Four skiers in their twenties who were killed in one of Utah’s deadliest ever avalanches

The four skiers who were killed in an avalanche while skiing on a Utah mountain on Saturday have been identified by authorities.

Four other people were also buried in the Saturday slide but managed to dig themselves out and didn’t suffer serious injuries, according to Unified Police of Salt Lake County.

The skiers were from two separate groups, and all eight had prepared with the necessary avalanche safety gear, authorities said. The four who survived, men between the ages of 23 to 38, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Louis Holian, 26; Stephanie Hopkins, 26; Thomas Louis Steinbrecher, 23; and Sarah Moughamian, 29, were identified as the four who died in the avalanche in Millcreek Canyon on Saturday.

By Sunday afternoon, the bodies of all four had been recovered. 

Tom Steinbrecher, 23, of Salt Lake City, is seen on his Facebook and Instagram pages

Two of the four skiers who died in an avalanche in Utah on Saturday are pictured above – Stephanie Hopkins (left), 26, and Tom Steinbrecher (right), 23, both of Salt Lake City

Louis Holian, 26, of Salt Lake City

Sarah Moughamian, 29, of Sandy, Utah

The other two fatalities have been identified as Louis Holian (left), 26, of Salt Lake City, and Sarah Moughamian (right), 29, of Sandy, Utah

Holian, Hopkins, and Steinbrecher all lived in Salt Lake City. Moughamian was from Sandy, a town just outside the Salt Lake City limits.

They were experienced skiers who were well known in the community, Drew Hardesty with the Utah Avalanche Center told the Salt Lake Tribune.

The avalanche danger around Salt Lake was high on Saturday, the center said as it tweeted out a warning hours before the avalanche.

Hopkins is the older sister of Addi Hopkins, a young woman who recently underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor.

A relative, Scott Hopkins, posted a message to Facebook which read: ‘Addi is clinically doing really well today. She has been out of bed and walked in the room. No nausea. Pain well controlled…Unfortunately as most of you know addi’s older sister was killed in an avalanche yesterday with 3 other people at Wilson Glades in Millcreek Canyon.

‘We are devastated as a family but Addi is a shining example of faith for us.

‘Addi and Steph loved each other and it isn’t fair that she doesn’t have a sister on earth anymore but Steph will be looking over her.’

Unstable snow conditions kept rescuers from immediately recovering the bodies Saturday. Recovery operations resumed Sunday morning

Unstable snow conditions kept rescuers from immediately recovering the bodies Saturday. Recovery operations resumed Sunday morning

The avalanche reportedly happened in in the Wilson Glade area of the Wilson Fork, which is near Alexander Basin and Gobblers Knob.

FOX 13 reports the Unified Police Department responded to a distress call in Millcreek Canyon around 11:40am.

All eight skiers were wearing avalanche beacons, electronic devices equipped with radio signals, which helped rescuers find the victims. 

The medical conditions of the four survivors is unknown, though one who reportedly had hypothermia was taken off the mountain ahead of the others. 

‘Our backcountry outdoor community is very connected so this type of loss touches many people and really is heartbreaking,’ said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson.

‘These are people who love doing what they did and lived life to the fullest.’ 

The avalanche was ‘incredibly wide,’ Wilson said, and still-unstable snow conditions kept rescuers from immediately recovering the bodies Saturday. Recovery operations resumed Sunday morning. 

An avalanche in Millcreek Canyon on Saturday morning killed four skiers

An avalanche in Millcreek Canyon on Saturday morning killed four skiers 

Four others managed to survive the avalanche and were later rescued from the mountain

Four others managed to survive the avalanche and were later rescued from the mountain 

Conditions were dangerous for Utah skiers on Saturday, with a high danger of avalanches

Conditions were dangerous for Utah skiers on Saturday, with a high danger of avalanches

 At least one helicopter was used in the rescue of the skiers. 

Meanwhile, the recovery efforts are ongoing for those who died in the avalanche.

The ones who survived reportedly dug their way out of the snow and had to dig out the ones who did not survive as well. 

‘This is a terrible tragedy and our prayers go out to the victims and families involved,’ Utah Governor Spencer Cox tweeted.

‘We are grateful to the first responders and others who engaged in this rescue and recovery effort. With avalanche danger high right now, please exercise extreme caution.’

At least one helicopter was used in the rescue of the skiers who survived the avalanche

At least one helicopter was used in the rescue of the skiers who survived the avalanche

Pictured: Medical personnel responding to the scene of the avalanche

Pictured: Medical personnel responding to the scene of the avalanche

Pictured: Medical personnel responding to the scene of the avalanche

Pictured: Medical personnel responding to the scene of the avalanche

‘We are heartbroken over the tragic news of four fatalities as the result of an avalanche in the Millcreek Canyon area this afternoon,’ Mayor Jenny Wilson told ABC4.

‘The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Canyon Search and Rescue Unit, Unified Police Department, Unified Fire Authority, and other partners are on-site responding to the situation. Additional details will follow as they become available throughout the evening. We deeply mourn the loss of life due to this devastating incident.’ 

The Utah Avalanche Center warned of a high avalanche danger on Saturday morning.

On Friday, there was an avalanche in the same relative area as Saturday’s avalanche, though there were no people who were affected by it.

Six people have died in Utah as a result of avalanches this winter, including Saturday’s tragedy, according to FOX 13.

Two people died in the back country of Park City, with one skier killed in Square Top and one snowboarder killed in Dutch Draw.

FOX 13 reports that Saturday’s avalanche is tied for the deadliest in Utah’s history since the state started recording in 1958, matching the death toll of an avalanche that happened almost exactly 29 years ago in the Gold Basin of Moab in 1992.

This is the first time since 2013 an avalanche in Utah killed multiple people.

Since 1958, 124 people have been killed by avalanches in the state. 

Pictured: The approximate coordinates for Saturday morning's deadly avalanche

Pictured: The approximate coordinates for Saturday morning’s deadly avalanche

Avalanches occur when the accumulated snow on a side of the mountain is disturbed in some way.

They can be caused by natural disturbances, such as wind, rain, snow, earthquakes, or warm temperatures.

They can also be caused by people, whether it be skiers, snowboarders, or hikers, or by loud noises brought on by people.