Friends and family are hosting events Sunday to honor the four Utah skiers whose lives were cut short in the Feb. 6 avalanche in Mill Creek Canyon.
Steph Hopkins, Sarah Moughamian, Louis Holian and Tom Steinbrecher were fatally buried in the 1,000-foot-wide slide that roared down Wilson Glade.
All in their 20s, the four victims were remembered as avid outdoor adventurers who loved Utah’s mountains, deserts and redrock country, according to tributes appearing on social media.
“Louis is going to be missed. He was a wonderful human being, way too young,” said Mike Hanseen, who manages the Hanger 15 bike shop in Millcreek where Holian repaired bikes.
A day of celebration and remembrance starts Sunday at 7 a.m. at The Gear Room, 3422 Fort Union Blvd., near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. Well-wishers are invited to head up to the canyon to ski in a spot near The Spruces where Holian and Steinbrecher, who were close friends, enjoyed skiing, according to organizers. While the event is set up by family and friends, “everyone in the world” is invited, organizers said on the event’s Facebook page, because that’s how Holian and Steinbrecher would have wanted it.
The event reconvenes at The Gear Room, where Holian also worked, at 11 a.m. to enjoy some music. At 11:30 a.m., join them for a group bike ride covering the 6 miles to Hangar 15, 3969 Wasatch Blvd, where they will gather to share stories about Holian and Steinbrecher. At noon, the group plans to gather at Hangar 15 to share stories.
Organizers ask attendees to bring the right safety equipment for whatever activity they’re participating in — including masks. They’ll provide hand sanitizer. And the event might change depending on the weather.
