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Snowmobilers survive harrowing avalanche in Uintas (w/video)

Warning: Video contains language some may find offensive.

A group of snowmobilers survived an avalanche in the Uinta Mountains near Moffit Peak on Saturday and captured the harrowing incident on video.

In a Facebook post, Miles Penrose said he and the other members of his group were riding in an area they were familiar with when the mountain started shaking.



“My original thought was… earthquake,” he wrote. “(Then) it (hit) me, avalanche. As I turned and looked up I could see the snow wave coming.”

Despite his avalanche airbag not working, Penrose was only buried to his lower chest and was able to dig himself out. His brother was fully buried.



“There is no worse feeling than having your little brother buried,” he wrote. “I followed his voice and saw the top of his black helmet and his voice and started digging. About 60 seconds later I had his face uncovered. He was okay.”

Two other members of Penrose’s party were also buried but were OK.

The incident happened the same day an avalanche in Millcreek Canyon killed four people and as the avalanche danger in much of northern Utah remained high.

Six people have died in avalanches in Utah this year, including two fatal slides on the Park City ridgeline.

For more information about avalanche safety, as well as avalanche forecasts, visit utahavalanchecenter.org.

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