Mirror Lake Snowmobile Search and Rescue 2025

On February 3, 2025, three Forest Service employees with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah departed the Soapstone Trailhead on snowmobiles. Their mission for the day was to check snow conditions, educate the public in avalanche safety, monitor snow-loading on the roof of a backcountry station, and prepare for an upcoming snowmobile training. Due to snow depth and conditions, they became stuck numerous times throughout the day as they traveled the 30 miles to the backcountry station. As the day went on, they realized their communication devices were not functional. Exhausted and with stuck machines, they traveled on foot to reach the backcountry station, which would provide shelter for the night. Meanwhile, the employees' spouses contacted emergency assistance, reporting the group missing and giving their location. A team located the employees and assisted them in returning to the trailhead, where they arrived safely at midnight, February 4.