A Wyoming man has died after being buried by an eastern Idaho avalanche.
According to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, at about 11:40 a.m., Thursday, BCSO deputies along with Lincoln County Wyoming Search and Rescue, and a crew from Air Idaho Rescue responded to a report of an injured man caught in an avalanche while riding his snowmobile.
The victim, Josh Roth, 35, of Alpine, Wyoming, was riding in the McCoy Creek area of Bonneville County near the Wyoming state line, when an avalanche was triggered in a drainage.
“A friend of Roth who had been riding with him saw that an avalanche had occurred, and was able to locate Roth using an avalanche beacon. Roth was buried under two to three feet of snow. His riding partner was able to dig him out, call for help via cell phone, and begin CPR,” said Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Bryan Lovell.
After a short while, it was determined that Roth was deceased from injuries in the slide. Deputies and Search and Rescue personnel were able to safely recover Roth’s body and transport him out to the Alpine area, Lovell added.
Backcountry recreationists are being warned of extreme avalanche conditions all over eastern Idaho. “If you choose to snowmobile or enter those areas, make sure to use every safety precaution available: carry avalanche beacons and emergency equipment, and tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return,” Lovell stated.
