Tragedy struck in western Wyoming when a 31-year-old man from Utah lost his life in a devastating avalanche while snowmobiling in the LaBarge Creek area. Nicholas Bringhurst, a resident of Springville, was riding with a friend on a steep, ungroomed slope above LaBarge Creek around 2 p.m. when the snowslide occurred at an elevation of approximately 8,800 feet. The avalanche, classified as D2 on the destructive scale, had the capacity to bury a person under snow and was powerful enough to trap Bringhurst beneath about two feet of snow and his snowmobile.
According to authorities from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center, Bringhurst’s companion was uninjured but immediately responded to the emergency. He quickly located Bringhurst, dug him out of the snow, and began performing CPR. Despite wearing an avalanche airbag backpack—designed to help keep snowmobilers afloat and reduce burial depth—the device deployed but ultimately failed to prevent Bringhurst from being fully buried. The avalanche’s force and the weak layer of snow beneath the surface made rescue efforts exceedingly difficult.
Emergency responders were alerted by a satellite emergency device, a Garmin inReach, which sent an alert prompting Star Valley Search and Rescue to deploy a helicopter for the rescue operation. Unfortunately, despite the rapid response, rescuers arrived too late to save Bringhurst, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation suggests that the avalanche was triggered by a weak “Christmas crust” layer in the snowpack, formed from holiday rain and subsequent snow accumulation, which experts believe contributed to the instability.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office expressed their condolences to Bringhurst’s family and is investigating the incident further to determine the precise cause of the avalanche. The tragic loss has deeply affected the local community and those who knew Bringhurst, a passionate outdoor enthusiast and adventurer.
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign has been organized to support Bringhurst’s wife, Lauren. Described as a couple whose love was rooted in their shared passion for the outdoors, Lauren and Nicholas bonded over long days river guiding, adventures on the water, and a mutual appreciation for nature. The fundraiser aims to raise $55,000 to help ease the financial burden during this difficult time, allowing Lauren the space to grieve and begin healing. As of Friday, the campaign had already exceeded $35,000.
