Shortly after 11 a.m., a helicopter crash landed on frozen Strawberry Reservoir. The two people in the helicopter came away with some small cuts and bruises but are otherwise okay, Wasatch County Search and Rescue Captain Kam Kohler said.
The Wasatch County Sheriff's Office said the pilot was attempting to make a low pass over the reservoir and was disoriented by the glare of the snow. The wheels made contact with the snow, causing the helicopter to tumble for several yards. The sheriff's office said the helicopter is a total loss.
Less than 10 minutes later, crews received a report of a snowmobile falling on top of a man, leaving him stuck near Tower Mountain east of Heber. LifeFlight was called in but was later turned away after the man was able to get up and move with the help of his son. The man did not require medical attention, Kohler said.
Around 1 p.m., search and rescue got a separate report of a woman who crashed her snowmobile into a trailer in the parking lot of Strawberry River. Outside of dealing with arm pain, Kohler said she didn’t need assistance.
Kohler emphasized that avalanche risk remains the biggest danger for snowmobilers. He said that unless people are experienced in backcountry terrain, they should stay on established trails.
