WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — The body of a man buried in an avalanche while snowmobiling in Wasatch County has been recovered.
The man went missing Sunday after the avalanche that was triggered at around 4:30 p.m. in the Snake Creek area, just west of Midway. A search effort was initiated with several agencies contributing personnel or resources; however, due to "unstable" conditions, rescuers were prevented from safely continuing the search, which was called off for the night.
Officials provide update on search for missing snowmobiler:
When the search was resumed early Monday, the body was located within an hour. It then took a bit longer to recover the body due to ongoing avalanche concerns.
Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby says the man was from Rose Park.
The avalanche site was in the same area where 48-year-old Joseph Witt of Heber City was killed in an avalanche while riding with his son on Wednesday.
“Our search and rescue team often knows the patients or the victims that are involved. It’s hard, it’s very difficult," admitted Rigby.
Man snowmobiling with son dies in Wasatch County avalanche:
In this past week, the Utah Avalanche Center reported 70 slides have been triggered in the Wasatch Mountains outside Ogden, Salt Lake and Provo. Another one in the Brighton backcountry on Thursday killed 11-year-old Madelyn Eitas from Massachusetts.
Avalanche forecaster Greg Gagne says the activity is caused by a persistent weak layer lying under the snow.
“Sometimes when we have high avalanche danger, the danger peaks, but then it goes back down to a moderate level. It’s not happening right now," said Gagne.
More snow will load on top of that layer this week, leaving the Utah Avalanche Center concerned about more slides. As a largely snowless winter clashes with a population that’s hungry to get outside and recreate, Gagne warned of how critical it is to stay out of avalanche terrain.
“If someone goes onto one of these steep, northerly facing slopes right now, it’s likely you’re gonna trigger a large avalanche," he said. "It’s gonna be several feet deep and several hundred feet wide, potentially unsurvivable.”
Gagne noted that it doesn’t mean people can’* go into the backcountry, but they do need to know where to go, and to stay off north-facing slopes that are 30° or steeper, and always have the proper equipment.
