Avalanche Death Toll Rises to 3 After Storms Stack Up in the West

Three snowmobilers have died in separate avalanches across the Western United States this week, following a series of winter storms that created unstable conditions across mountain ranges. One rider was killed Sunday in Wyoming, and two more died Friday in Washington state.

Wyoming authorities identified the victim as Nicholas Bringhurst, 31, of Springville, Utah. He was snowmobiling in the LaBarge Creek area when an avalanche struck. Rescuers received a GPS alert around 2:15 p.m.

According to the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center, Bringhurst triggered the avalanche on a steep slope above LaBarge Creek and was buried about two feet deep.

A friend pulled him from the snow and performed CPR, but Bringhurst died at the scene. The Lincoln County coroner will determine the official cause of death.

The incident highlights how quickly avalanches can turn fatal, even on smaller slopes. Avalanche experts note that steep terrain doesn’t need to be massive to be deadly, particularly when wind-loaded snow sits on unstable layers beneath fresh powder.