This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Avalanche warnings have been omnipresent in Utah over the last couple of weeks, leaving backcountry winter activities sketchy at best and dangerous at worst.
A Colorado snowmobiler decided to test similar conditions and was carving through fresh powder when he was nearly buried by a small avalanche.
Around the one minute mark of the first person video embedded above, snowmobiler Cody Strong reaches the top of a snow blanketed hill and as he turns, a wave of powder rushes into the camera frame, temporarily burying him and his snowmobile.
Warning: The video features strong, muffled language after the avalanche.
Strong quickly emerges and can be heard yelling, "That was an avalanche!" while gasping for air. Two other snowmobilers ride to his aid and the three discuss the avalanche, which appears to have wrecked Strong's vehicle.
Moral of the story: Don't chance backcountry sports during an avalanche warning.