Sometimes unexpected things happen. And at times, they can be disastrous. A horrifying video of a monstrous avalanche descending upon some snowmobilers in Utah recently has gone viral. Fortunately, the group managed to narrowly escape disaster.
The group had been enjoying riding through the Uinta Mountains before the avalanche struck, the stunning video of which was posted on Instagram by snowmobiler Miles Penrose. “Today we were riding in the Uintas, the snow was great up high and it was finally feeling like we had some base,” Penrose wrote. He added that he has been riding in that part of the mountains since he was eight years old, and is familiar with the conditions of the region.
Penrose continued, “My brother and I were playing on the side of a hill in the tree area where we have ridden 30-40 times in the years past. As I finished recording my brother playing in the pow, the mountain shook.” He went on, “My original thought was…earthquake. Then it hit me, avalanche.” The horrifying event was also recorded by their friend Nate, who was among the group with the brothers. The video shows the snow barreling down the side of the mountain, and a voice can be heard screaming “Avalanche!” The terrified man also is heard saying, “Oh sh*t, that’s coming to us.” Nate can be seen making a dash on his sled to escape the onslaught of snow, and then the camera goes dark.
Penrose explained that his safety gear did not deploy as it was not turned on. He was swept off his feet by about 20 yards and was basically “swimming” to survive. He was buried up to his chest in the snow, but luckily was able to quickly dig himself out. He then looked for and rescued his brother, who was buried just up to the top of his head.
“Then came the radio chatter,” Penrose said. “Where is everyone at? Was everyone okay? We didn’t realize it but the avalanche had triggered even bigger on the other side of trees where we were.” Three other group members also survived the catastrophe. It was the second avalanche to strike Utah on that day.
A massive avalanche struck in Mill Creek Canyon, which lies halfway across the state from the Uinta Mountains. Eight people from 2 separate groups were skiing, before 7 of them were struck by the avalanche. Unfortunately, four of the skiers, 2 from each group, perished. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the skiers “were young Utahns who reveled in the state’s beauty, pursuing adventures from its ski slopes to its redrock country.” CNN reports the four deaths are the most recent in a series of deaths caused by avalanches in the state of Utah. So far, the total fatalities is recorded at 9.
Just a week prior to the new fatalities, a man was killed in an avalanche near Park City Mountains Canyons Village, just a few miles from the Mill Creek avalanche.
Avalanches have been devastating, 3 other skiers were killed in Colorado recently, and it took 3 days to locate their bodies. Another skier was also killed in New Hampshire in an avalanche at the White Mountain National Forest.
Nature can surprise us with the unexpected…sometimes it can be beautiful and amazing, other times it can be frightful and deadly. That is part of the mystery of life.
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