Avalanches kill father and girl; son praised for 'courageous efforts'

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A father snowmobiling with his son and a young girl were killed in separate avalanches in Utah, the latest avalanche deaths as recent storms have brought heavy snow and unstable backcountry terrain to mountains in western states.

The deaths happened on Feb. 18 and 19 while two different families were engaging in winter recreation activities, according to local authorities and news outlets. They happened in the immediate aftermath of the deadliest avalanche in decades in the United States, which happened on Feb. 17 in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, killing eight backcountry skiers with another missing and presumed dead.

On Feb. 18, a man and his minor son were snowmobiling in the area of Snake Creek near Midway, Utah, in Wasatch County, which is about 50 miles from Salt Lake City. An avalanche at about 4 p.m. buried the father, according to the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office. The son used an avalanche beacon to find his father and dig him out of the snow, but the man was already dead, the sheriff's office said.

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The sheriff's office in a statement praised the son's "courageous efforts" in trying to rescue the man.

"The Wasatch County Sheriff's Office extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic incident," the statement read.

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The next day in Salt Lake County, a young girl was with her family in the backcountry near the Brighton Ski Resort in the mountains outside Salt Lake City when she was swept up in an avalanche, NBC News and Fox 13 in Salt Lake City reported.

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The family was skiing outside the bounds of the resort when the avalanche buried the 11-year-old in snow, authorities told Fox 13. Family members searched for her, and authorities used drones to try to find her, according to NBC. She was taken to a hospital and later died of her injuries, the news outlets reported.

“The conditions are ever changing with the unpredictable snowpack. This incident is a reminder that avalanches can happen in an instant,” Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera told NBC News. “I offer my heartfelt prayers to the victim and her family.”

Authorities in Utah have warned recreationists that backcountry areas away from ski resorts are especially dangerous after recent storms have dumped several feet of snow since the beginning of the week. An avalanche warning was in place on Feb. 19 for mountain ranges around the state, according to the Utah Avalanche Center, which said recent snowfall and strong winds made the risk for both natural and human-triggered avalanches high.

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Rivera said in a statement posted to social media that anyone who chooses to venture into backcountry areas should take safety precautions, and consider not going at all in heightened conditions. Before going, check the daily avalanche forecast from the Utah Avalanche Center, do not travel alone, share your route and return time with someone else, bring avalanche gear including a beacon, shovel and probe, along with extra clothing, food, water and supplies, and make sure you are trained to recognize avalanche terrain, the sheriff's office said.