Snowmobiler dies in avalanche as bystanders rush to dig them out, Idaho officials say
Bystanders rushed to dig out a snowmobiler who had been killed in an avalanche near Idaho mountains, officials said.
The snowmobiler had been riding up a slope Sunday, March 12, when they triggered an avalanche in the Stanley Lake Creek drainage of the Sawtooth Mountains, the Sawtooth Avalanche Center reported.
The rider was buried in about 3 feet of snow, the center said.
Three other snowmobilers dug the person out and performed CPR, but the snowmobiler died, the center said.
At the time, avalanche danger was rated “considerable,” which can involve “thick, dense slabs of snow,” the center said in a Monday, March 13, Facebook post.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the victim’s friends and family. The USFS Sawtooth Avalanche Center will release additional information as it becomes available,” the agency said.
Stanley Lake Creek is near Stanley, about 135 miles northeast of Boise.
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 16 people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of March 13, 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 March 13, 2023 at 11:16 AM with the headline "Snowmobiler dies in avalanche as bystanders rush to dig them out, Idaho officials say."
