A Utah man who got buried in an avalanche on Christmas Eve was rescued by his brother who miraculously saw his hand sticking out of the snow.
The two men were riding snow mobiles through the Steep Hollow area of Franklin Basin in Cache County, about 86 miles north of Salt Lake City.
An avalanche was triggered while they were riding across a slope or side hill, sweeping up one brother, an incident report by the Utah Avalanche Center says.
The charging snow carried him approximately 150 yards, longer than a football field, before burying him completely.
Toby Weed, a forecaster with the Utah Avalanche Center, told Fox 13 Salt Lake City that the brothers were lucky they came prepared with the proper equipment.
‘The brother who was not buried used his transceiver to find the brother who was buried, and it got him pretty close,’ Weed said. ‘And when he got close enough, he could see a couple fingers sticking out of the snow of his brother and was able to dig him out.’
Weed said the brother who was buried had minor injuries and both men were able to ride out of the area.
‘Those guys had a very, very lucky Christmas Eve,’ Weed said.
Two brothers were snowmobiling in the Steep Hollow area of Franklin Basin when one of them triggered an avalanche. The aftermath is pictured above
The snow carried one brother about 150 yards before he was completely buried. The brother who wasn’t buried was able to rescue him thanks to a transponder
Equipment found in the snow belonging to one of the brothers
Snowmobilers who were riding out in Utah’s backcountry 16 years ago, also on Christmas Eve, weren’t as lucky.
Weed explained that a group of four men rode up Providence Canyon, when one of them triggered an avalanche.
Two riders, 22-year-old Erik Jorgensen and 23-year-old Jesse Johnson, both from Utah, were killed.
Weed said there are tried and true ways to avoid avalanches.
‘Number one, always access and read the forecast. The forecast that day, it was a considerable avalanche danger,’ he said.
The avalanche risk is considered to be high in that area of Utah this coming weekend.
The Utah brothers’ miraculous survival comes after Swiss snowboarder Sophie Hediger tragically passed away in an avalanche on Monday at the age of 26
Sophie Hediger takes second place during the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Snowboard Cross on January 26, 2024 in St Moritz
This comes after Swiss snowboarder Sophie Hediger tragically passed away in an avalanche on Monday at the age of 26.
Switzerland’s skiing federation announced the heartbreaking news on Tuesday, revealing that the incident happened at the Arosa resort in the Swiss Alps.
‘We are stunned and our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we express our deepest condolences,’ federation CEO Walter Reusser said in a statement.
‘For the Swiss Ski family, the tragic death of Sophie Hediger has cast a dark shadow over the Christmas holidays. We are immeasurably sad. We will keep an honorable memory of Sophie.’
Hediger took second place during the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Snowboard Cross on January 26, 2024 in St Moritz.
Hediger’s passing came nine days after she turned 26 on December 14.
