Busy Search And Rescue Crews Warn Of Increased Backcountry Danger

LOGAN, Utah – Search and Rescue teams near the northern tip of Utah have been unseasonably busy and they are concerned about the number of snowmobilers and the threat of avalanches.

Much like in the summer, search and rescue teams have seen a lot more people in the outdoors.

Some of those who have recently been rescued are very experienced snowmobilers, which goes to show, it can happen to anyone.

Two of those experienced riders had to stay overnight last week after their sleds became trapped in deep snow and they had to hike out for 12 hours the next day with rescue crews.

Snowmobilers Survive Two Nights In Wilderness, 12-Hour Hike To Safety

Just this past weekend Franklin County Search and Rescue helped bring back two stranded parties near the Idaho-Utah border.

“Just be aware of where you are and your limitations,” said Lt. Doyle Peck with the Cache County Sheriff’s Office. “There are a lot more people going up there than we’ve seen in the past.”

Peck said volunteer search and rescue helped with one of those weekend operations, but they’ve had a busy couple of weeks too. With more people in the mountains, there are increased odds for more accidents and more people getting lost.

“The last three searches we had were so long,” he said. He added the deep layers of made those trips challenging.

“But it really does come down to when you’re going out there, go prepared, take food, take water, take emergency rations, emergency shelter of some kind and be ready,” he cautioned.

While the overall avalanche danger is lower, it’s not gone.

A Preston, Idaho, man was buried in the Sherman Peak area over the weekend.

Peck added that it’s important to let people know where you’re going, check the conditions online and stick with the trails and familiar ground.