Rescue crews responded to a snowmobile accident at the top of Lake Creek, east of Heber, just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Wasatch County Search and Rescue Commander Kam Kohler says a 23-year-old man was riding a snowmobile when he ran into a ravine.
Kohler says the man didn’t see the ravine. He was riding at a high rate of speed and hit the other side which resulted in significant injuries.
Kohler says speed and inexperience is a bad combination.
“These current snowmobiles can do 80 miles an hour in a city block, so they're super powerful, super fast," he said. "People get hurt because they don't have the experience to tell them there might be a ditch in front of me. They see an open field and, because of lack of experience, they take off across it not realizing that oh, there might be a ditch in the middle of it. That happens a lot.”
The snowmobiler was riding with another person who was able to call for help, Kohler said.
Wasatch County Search and Rescue, Wasatch Sheriff's Department, Division of Natural Resources and Intermountain Life Flight were all deployed to assist.
The accident happened seven miles from the trailhead. The life flight crew were some of the first to arrive on the scene.
Kohler says man is expected to survive.
He shared one piece of advice for anyone heading out to ride.
“If you're going into the back country, buddy up,” Kohler said.
