RICH COUNTY — A snowmobiler died after reportedly getting caught in an avalanche in the Monte Cristo Snowmobile Area. The slide occurred Monday afternoon near the Rich and Cache county line.
The Rich County Sheriff’s Office said a 37-year-old man from Evanston, Wyoming had been snowmobiling in the area and died as a result of being caught in the avalanche.
The victim had been riding with a friend when the avalanche occurred. The friend was unable to locate the victim and called for help.
Deputies from the sheriff’s office and Rich County Search and Rescue were dispatched to the area just after 3 p.m.
Crews from Cache County, Weber County, and a K-9 from Powder Mountain also joined the search. They were assisted by helicopters from Life Flight, Utah Department of Public Safety, and a Black Hawk helicopter provided by the Diesel Brothers.
Deputies reported the snow was very deep where the avalanche occurred and it took nearly four hours to locate the victim.
The Wyoming man was found at approximately 6:21 p.m. His identity is not being released, pending notification of family.
The Utah Avalanche Center reports that avalanche conditions are dangerous in Northern Utah’s backcountry.
“Heavy new snow from the weekend storm and extensive drifting from strong winds from the southwest overloaded a widespread layer of pre-existing weak snow,” the organization reports. “Conditions are most hazardous on upper elevation slopes facing northwest through southeast, where natural wind slab avalanches remain possible, and people are likely to trigger dangerous wind slab avalanches.”