Wyoming was the scene of a heartbreaking accident this past Sunday when a 31-year-old Utah man, Nicholas Bringhurst, lost his life in a powerful avalanche. Nick was a well-loved adventurer from Springville who spent much of his life guiding others through the rapids of the Colorado River. He was out enjoying the backcountry with a close friend in the LaBarge Creek area when the mountain gave way, burying him under a heavy blanket of snow and his own machine.
The two friends were riding on a steep, ungroomed slope around 2 p.m. at an elevation of nearly 9,000 feet. Experts later classified the slide as a D2 avalanche, which is more than enough force to bury and kill a person. Even though Nick was an experienced outdoorsman and was wearing an avalanche airbag, the slide happened so fast—dropping only about 60 feet—that the device didn’t have the time or space to pull him to the surface.
When the snow finally settled, Nick’s friend realized something was wrong because the sound of Nick’s engine had suddenly cut out. He rushed back to the slope, located the burial site, and desperately dug Nick out from under two feet of snow. He immediately started CPR, fighting to save his friend’s life while a satellite emergency device sent out a distress signal to local rescuers.
Star Valley Search and Rescue and a helicopter team from Air Idaho responded quickly to the GPS alert. Despite their best efforts and the heroic actions of his friend on the scene, Nick couldn't be revived. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that he passed away right there on the mountain, surrounded by the rugged wilderness he loved so much.
Forecasters from the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center believe the slide was triggered by a dangerous "Christmas crust." This is a unstable layer of ice formed by rain during the holidays, which was then covered by fresh, heavy snow. It created a hidden trap on the slope that was just waiting for a trigger, making the terrain much more dangerous than it looked to the naked eye.
Back home in Springville, the community is reeling from the loss of a man described as having a "contagious smile" and a heart as big as the rivers he navigated. Nick and his wife, Lauren, were a perfect match, having bonded years ago over their shared love for rafting and the outdoors. They had been married since 2021, building a life centered around mountain biking, skiing, and any adventure that took them under the open sky.
To help Lauren navigate this impossibly difficult time, friends have set up a GoFundMe campaign that has already seen an outpouring of love from hundreds of people. While a funeral is being held this Saturday in Springville to honor his legacy, his family is asking that any donations be directed toward the search and rescue teams who helped bring him home. Nick lived life in a big way, and he will be remembered by those who knew him as a man who embodied the strength and constancy of the water he loved.
