One snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche that he triggered on Sunday, April 4th. He was traveling north along a ridge when a cornice he was on cracked and broke off. This caused an avalanche to release below the cornice. He was carried over a cliff band. He was buried approximately 1000 feet below the ridge under 2 to 3 feet of debris. He was located by his partner with a beacon.
Davis County Search and Rescue responded and the victim was extricated via helicopter.
Recent snow coupled with strong winds on Saturday caused snow to be drifted into deep drifts on the lee sides of ridges. The Farmington Canyon/Francis Peak ridgeline is notoriously windy and large fresh cornices had formed.
The photo shows the broken cornice, the slab that released below, the cliff band and the bed surface below where the snow was entrained in the avalanche. The upside down sled is visible in the left below the cliff. You can also see the dirt layer in the bed surfaces.
The victim was approximately 600' to 800' away from the snowmobile. Total estimated distance traveled from the cornice was about 1200 ft. He was buried horizontally about 2.5' - 3' deep with his head downhill.
The victim went over the 75' high cliffband as shown in the photo.
Thanks to the Davis County SAR team and AirMed for their good work on the recovery. The avalanche danger for the day was MODERATE with areas of CONSIDERABLE.
From KSL.com
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A Bountiful man has died after being buried in an avalanche while snowmobiling in Morgan County.
Morgan County Deputy Sheriff Derek Engstrom says 43-year-old Lee Gardner was riding with a friend in the northwestern part of the county Sunday when a slide on Francis Peak buried him.
Gardner's friend dug him out and called for help, but a medical helicopter crew could not find a pulse when they arrived and he was pronounced dead an hour later.
The avalanche occurred just below the Francis Radar Station on the mountain. Engstrom says the avalanche is believed to have started because of human activity.
He did not know how wide or long the slide was.
The Utah Avalanche Center says avalanche danger in Utah was "considerable" Sunday.
