Updated Nov. 15 at 7:53 p.m.
By Abbie Digel
Editor, Explorebigsky.com
The Salt Lake City Tribune reported today that Jamie Pierre, 38, of Big Sky, died in an avalanche he triggered while out in the unopened Snowbird Resort on Sunday, Nov. 13. He is survived by wife and two children who live in Big Sky.
Pierre was skiing with a friend when the avalanche took him off a cliff, a police spokesman told the Tribune. The avalanche was reported to authorities at 3:15 p.m. Pierre was dead when rescue reached him. His friend came out uninjured.
Pierre lived in Salt Lake City for 15 years before moving to Big Sky last summer.
Pierre holds the world record cliff jump on skis: he launched 255’ off the backside of Grand Targhee Resort. Famous for these massive drops, Pierre has also done some serious ski descents. In Haines, Alaska, he’s the only person to have ever skied the infamous Northeast Couloir of Mount Emmerich.
“The people here are super-friendly. Everyone says ‘hello’.” My wife and I want to raise our family [here]. Ophir School sounds incredible, as does everything about Big Sky,” Pierre said in an interview with the Big Sky Weekly last summer.
Pierre recently took a position as Moonlight Basin’s athlete ambassador, and also was also an ambassador at Big Sky Resort.
**Updated**
In lieu of flowers, an account has been set up for the Pierre family at Big Sky Western Bank. Checks should be made out to: “For the Benefit of Jamie Pierre Family.”
Donations can be mailed or dropped off in person. The bank’s mailing address is P.O. Box 160486, Big Sky, MT, 59716. For more information call Kayle at the Bank at 406-556-3201.
Any well-wishes for the Pierre family can be mailed to P.O. Box 161114, Big Sky, 59716.
Services for Jamie will be held in Salt Lake City on Saturday at 11 a.m.
