Snowmobiler's condition critical after an accident

AMERICAN FORK — A 29-year-old Salt Lake County man was in critical condition with head injuries Saturday night after a snowmobiling accident in American Fork Canyon.

About noon Saturday, on a hill near Tibble Fork and Silver Lake, the unidentified man was "high marking," which involves climbing a hill in a snowmobile as high as a rider can get before turning around and descending. As the man turned to descend the hill, the snowmobile rolled to its side. That cast the rider off, and he slid downhill about 10 feet before stopping when he struck a tree, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Tom Hodson said.

The snowmobile followed and pinned the man against the tree, Hodson said. The man lost consciousness.

The man's friend witnessed the accident and sought help from search and rescue crews he had earlier spotted in the area.

The Utah County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team were training with Box Elder's winter rescue team, called Wasatch West. They were training with ambulances, honing snow- and ice-rescue skills, Hodson said.

"I guess if there is a fortunate thing, it is we were in the area," Hodson said.

The friend found the rescue crews in about five minutes, Hodson said.

The man was transported by medical helicopter to University Hospital.