Backcountry skiing

OGDEN — There is still a considerable to high chance for avalanches in the Northern Utah mountains, warns the Utah Avalanche Center.

The center issued an avalanche watch in light of the rapidly warming temperatures and direct sunlight expected through Tuesday. The weather easily creates unstable and dangerous avalanche conditions on all slopes, particularly on steep terrain facing east, west and south, according to the center.

The watch does not include ski areas or highways normally kept safe through avalanche control.

MONTE CRISTO — A snowmobiler caught in an avalanche Friday, at the start of what forecasters expect to be a dangerous weekend, escaped with just an injured leg.

Though avalanches caused by skiers, snowboarders or snowmobilers have been sparse in Northern Utah, high winds and heavy snow settling on top of weak snow this week led to a slide.

The unidentified man was with three other snowmobilers on Whiskey Hill, just outside of the Monte Cristo trailhead on Highway 39, when he triggered an avalanche halfway up a steep slope around 11 a.m., said Craig Gordon of the Utah Avalanche Center.

SEATTLE — The expert skiers wasted no time after an avalanche hit and swept their friends down a steep slope in Washington state. They immediately turned on their emergency beacons and began searching for signs of life.

Three skiers died Sunday in a Washington avalanche. Another was saved by a new safety device called a flotation air bag -- equipment tucked inside a skier's backpack, ready for deployment in case of an avalanche.

STEVENS PASS, Wash. -- Three skiers were killed Sunday when an avalanche swept them far down an out-of-bounds canyon at a popular resort, but a fourth skier caught up in the slide was saved by a safety device, authorities said.

OGDEN -- Guests at Ogden Valley ski resorts soon may have a chance to go quickly from sitting by the fireplace to hitting untouched powder under the whirl of helicopter blades.