Avalanche Kills Snowmobiler in Wyoming, the 3rd to Die as Dangerous Snowslides Hit Western Regions

A Utah man died after being caught in an avalanche while snowmobiling in western Wyoming, marking the third fatal avalanche in the region in recent days following two deaths in Washington state.

Nicholas Bringhurst of Springville, Utah, was riding in the LaBarge Creek area of Lincoln County on Sunday, Jan. 11, when he triggered an avalanche on a small but steep slope, according to the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said he was buried about 2 feet deep.

First responders were alerted at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time through a GPS satellite device. A friend located Bringhurst, 31, in the runout zone, dug him out and began CPR, but he later died, the sheriff’s office said. Air Idaho also responded to the scene.

The Lincoln County Coroner’s Office, led by Dain Schwab, said it will investigate and determine the cause and manner of death.

“Deepest sympathies to the Bringhurst family” were expressed in the sheriff’s office statement.

The Wyoming fatality follows a deadly avalanche Friday in the mountains of northern Kittitas County, Washington, near Longs Pass, where four backcountry snowmobilers were caught.

Two men, Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass, were killed. Two others, identified as Ian Laing and Patrick Leslie, survived after making a distress call using a Garmin satellite device, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office.

“Responders reached the remote area using snowmobiles and winter backcountry equipment and transported the two survivors out that evening,” the sheriff’s office said, noting that recovery of the victims was delayed until Saturday due to hazardous conditions.

Three avalanche search K9s and a King County Guardian 2 helicopter assisted in the recovery operation, which included airlifting the two men’s bodies to a search base. The Northwest Avalanche Center also responded to the scene.

“We are saddened to report that four backcountry tourers were caught and carried in an avalanche near Longs Pass,” the agency said in a statement, adding, “Our hearts go out to the family, friends, and community of those involved in this accident.”

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Snow avalanches are the deadliest natural hazard on U.S. National Forest lands, according to the National Avalanche Center. The organization says avalanches kill an average of 25 to 30 people each winter in the United States.

Forecasters have warned that a dangerous mix of heavy snowfall and rain in recent storms has created unstable conditions across much of the western U.S., increasing the likelihood of slides in backcountry terrain.

In Alaska, officials in the City and Borough of Juneau have issued evacuation advisories for all known avalanche paths as rainfall and warming temperatures destabilize an unusually deep snowpack across the Alaska Panhandle.

The National Avalanche Center urges people across the snow-packed states to avoid backcountry travel during periods of elevated avalanche danger. For those who do venture into mountainous areas, the group recommends traveling with partners and carrying proper safety equipment, including an avalanche beacon, airbag pack, helmet and shovel, which can help locate and rescue someone if a slide occurs.