Utah Man Killed in Wyoming Avalanche While Snowmobiling

LINCOLN COUNTY, Wyoming (KIFI) — A 31-year-old Utah man lost his life Sunday after being caught in an avalanche while snowmobiling in the Labarge Creek area, a popular destination for backcountry snowmobiling.

The victim has been identified as Nicholas Bringhurst, of Springville, Utah. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal slide took place on January 11, 2026.

At 2:15 pm, authorities received an emergency alert via a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, which indicated an injured rider in the remote Labarge Creek backcountry. Members of the Star Valley Search and Rescue immediately rushed to the scene.

Upon arrival, rescuers found that Bringhurst’s riding partner had already located and dug him out of the snow. Despite the friend’s efforts to perform CPR, Bringhurst died as a result of being caught in the avalanche. 

Lincoln County Coroner Dain Schwab met with SVSAR units to recover the body. The Coroner’s Office is currently investigating to confirm the official cause of death, though the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office has attributed it to the avalanche.

The Sheriff’s Office has extended its deepest sympathies to the Bringhurst family following the tragedy.