From Deseret News archives:
Killer storm: 3 presumed dead in Utah avalanche
Most of the victims were either able to dig themselves out or were rescued after the slide. However, search and rescue crews could not find three Utah County men, who were apparently trapped under the snow.
"It's extremely unlikely that they will survive," said Utah County Sheriff's Lt. Dave Bennett. "When the snow stops, it sets up like concrete."
At 8 p.m., crews called off the search for the missing boarders, ages 18, 19 and 20, due to the high winds and extreme avalanche danger facing rescuers.
"If they're still buried, their time's up," noted a bartender at Sundance's Owl Bar, as temperatures outside were expected to drop well below freezing overnight.
The sheriff's office plans to use a helicopter to drop avalanche bombs in the area today before deciding whether to send more search crews up this morning.
An 18-year-old was buried only to his armpits and was otherwise uninjured, while a 20-year-old, who was completely buried until rescued, was taken to a local hospital with a leg injury and hypothermia, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Harris said.
The slide occurred near the start of the Mt. Timpanogos summit trailhead, about a half-mile from the Aspen Grove lodge, a popular Brigham Young University alumni recreation site. The avalanche came down the Roberts Horn chute and swept up the 15 people, who were either in the avalanche chute or just below it.
The chute, about a half-mile long, is a common location for avalanches, but the vicinity is rarely, if ever, closed to backcountry enthusiasts.
"I don't know if we've ever closed it," Bennett said.
Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy added: "This is a wilderness area. For those who use it, it's user beware."
In total, three slides came down the chute, but the first was likely the largest and probably buried the three snowboarders in anywhere from four to 14 feet of powder.
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