A dramatic rescue unfolded in the Franklin Basin area of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah when a man saved his brother from a large avalanche while they were snowmobiling on Wednesday. The incident occurred as one of the brothers triggered the avalanche while side-hilling in a bowl beneath a cliff band in Steep Hollow, according to an initial accident report from the Utah Avalanche Center.
The man who triggered the avalanche managed to escape by riding off the north flank of the avalanche after seeing the slope ripple below and around him. Unfortunately, his brother, who was standing next to his sled farther down the slope, was swept up by the avalanche, carried about 150 yards by the heavy snow, and fully buried.
Using a transceiver, the man located his buried brother underneath the snow, with only a couple of fingers of a gloved hand sticking out. He successfully dug out his brother, who sustained minor injuries. Despite the ordeal, the two were able to ride back to safety.
The Utah Avalanche Center issued a warning about similar avalanche conditions in the area, which are expected to become more prevalent across the mountains in North Utah and Southeast Idaho leading up to the weekend.
