Snowmobiler caught in avalanche is seriously injured on Utah mountain, rescuers say
A pair of snowmobilers were injured when they were caught in a massive avalanche, Utah rescuers said.
One of them was seriously injured in the slide, Wasatch County Search and Rescue said in a Feb. 22 post on Facebook.
It happened just before noon along the Snake Creek slope in Wasatch County, officials said in the post.
Rescuers transported the injured person to a hospital in a medical helicopter, officials said.
Photos show the rescue, as well as the huge slide.
“I have climbed every bit of that slope and never seen it slide like that,” someone said in the comments. “Glad they were able to make it out.”
“Those mountains have been sliding all year be careful all,” someone else said.
Wasatch County is about a 100-mile drive southeast from Salt Lake City.
What to know about avalanches
Avalanches happen quickly and catch people by surprise. They can move between 60 and 80 mph and typically happen on slopes of 30-45 degrees, according to experts.
Skiers, snowmobilers and hikers can set off an avalanche when a layer of snow collapses and starts to slide down the slope.
In the U.S., avalanches are most common from December to April, but they can happen at any time if the conditions are right, National Geographic reported.
At least 14 people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of Feb. 22, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
People heading into snow should always check the local avalanche forecast at Avalanche.org, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, and have an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel ready.
“Emergency services are usually too far away from the scene of an avalanche, and time is important,” Simon Trautman, a national avalanche specialist, said. “A person trapped under the snow may not have more than 20 or 30 minutes. So, in a backcountry scenario, you are your own rescue party.”
If an avalanche breaks out, it’s best to move diagonal to the avalanche to an edge, Trautman said.
“Try to orient your feet downhill so that your lower body, not your head, takes most of the impact,” officials said. “You may also get into a tight ball as another way to protect your head.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2025 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Snowmobiler caught in avalanche is seriously injured on Utah mountain, rescuers say."
