Western storms may deliver deadliest winter

Too many close calls
Bob Comey, director of the Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center in Jackson, Wyo., said Wyoming has seen a number of close calls this season. A snowmobiler died in an avalanche in the Snowy Range last week.

"About 90 percent of the people who die in the avalanche trigger the avalanche or someone with them triggers the avalanche that kills them," Comey said. "The most important thing to do is to get a little bit of education on avalanches and unstable terrain, and what triggers them."

On Friday, a Worcester, Mass., man was killed when he was buried by falling snow while skiing in the backcountry near Vail, Colo.

That same day in Washington near Mount Pilchuck, a teenage girl was killed when a group she was hiking with was hit by a snow slide. Three companions were swept up but managed to escape.

A Utah snowmobiler was killed New Year's Eve in an avalanche 200 feet wide and 1,000 feet long.

Video   6 snowmobilers rescued Jan. 7: Six snowmobilers missing for three days are found alive in the southern Colorado mountains. NBC's Leanne Gregg has the details. NBC News Channel

Ron Hazard, a rescuer for the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office, responded to that slide. He said asking why people head into the backcountry despite high avalanche risks is like asking why drivers speed on the highway despite traffic deaths.

"They do it because 'I'm not going to get caught ... because I can't resist the temptation of virgin snow. It's just out there screaming my name,'" Hazard said. "If people were smart about it, they would put me out of business."

Snow hinders search and rescues
The snow has come down so heavily at times it has delayed rescuers from searching for missing people.

In Colorado's Conejos County, volunteer rescuers on snowmobiles said they risked becoming stuck in the snow themselves as they searched for the six missing snowmobilers.

Mineral County Sheriff Fred Hosselkus had to delay the search for the two skiers at the Wolf Creek ski area because the avalanche risk was too great to send in crews.

In Alaska, state police spokeswoman Megan Peters said troopers have conducted 50 search-and-rescue operations since mid-October, looking for overdue hunters, snowmobilers and hikers.

Peters said anyone headed for the backcountry should let others know of their plans — and be as specific as possible.

"'North of Anchorage' just doesn't cut it," she said.

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