Wasatch Search and Rescue said the father had serious leg and chest injuries. The son was not hurt.
The Utah Avalanche Center said the slide on Ant Knolls near Snake Creek was two to three feet deep and 500 feet wide. It was one of nearly two dozen triggered by recreators over the weekend in Utah’s northern mountains.
UAC forecaster Trent Meisenheimer said there were four close calls on Saturday, including the Wasatch County snowmobilers.
“In Logan, someone knocked out their front teeth being caught in an avalanche and then Mount Aire in Parleys Canyon," he said. "Luckily, it just led to bumps and bruises, but another pretty scary slab avalanche was triggered there.”
The UAC reports Utah’s avalanche danger is considerable, and advises skiers, hikers and snowmobilers to stay off and out from underneath steep terrain, especially later in the afternoon.
Avalanche forecaster Dave Kelly recommends those headed to the backcountry should start early and finish early to avoid heavy, wet snow.
“We're not used to seeing so much wet snow activity in February,” he said. “But this season has been one for the record books. As far as the complexity of the snowpack goes.”
Across the western U.S. avalanche danger remains considerable, including most of Utah, Colorado and Idaho.
The Associated Press reports one person was killed in an avalanche in central Colorado over the weekend.
The slide above Berthoud Pass in Grand County marked the third fatal avalanche in Colorado and second death in less than a week. A Crested Butte snowboarder was killed Feb. 20 in a slide west of Silverton.
For the latest avalanche forecasts or to report a slide visit the Utah Avalanche Center’s website.
