A 21-year-old man has been killed after his snowmobile triggered an avalanche that swept him down the mountain and buried him in 5 feet of snow.
Wyatt Coiteux, from La Center, Washington state, US, died on New Year's Eve while snowmobiling with his teenage brother.
The victim was carried 600 vertical feet before being buried in the snow. His brother was riding alongside him on Crown Butte near Cooke City, Montana, but was unharmed.
According to local officials Coiteux was wearing an airbag pack at the time, a device that inflates if activated helping the user to rise to the top of the snow.
At this stage it is unclear if the device malfunctioned or Coiteux simply didn't get the chance to activate it.
In a heartbreaking tribute posted on social media, the man's parents said: "We are devastated by the passing of our beloved son Wyatt Coiteux while snowmobiling yesterday. He went out on cloud 9 doing what he loved!"
Immediately following the avalanche a group of nearby snowmobilers arrived to try and find the buried man, calling in a rescue team.
After an hour of frantic searching, his body was discovered but despite performing CPR and using a defibrillator he couldn't be saved.
A statement from Friends of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center read: "This fatality is the clearest possible indicator that the snowpack remains capable of producing large and dangerous avalanches.
"Slides can break on weak layers in the lower snowpack, within the snow that’s fallen over the last week (particularly where it has been wind drifted) or on a weak layer buried just beneath it.
"Continued patience (avoiding avalanche terrain) and adherence to safe travel protocols (riding one at a time, carrying rescue gear, and watching your partners for a safe spot) are the best ways to manage these concerns."
The two brothers were not wearing avalanche beacons, reports DailyMail.com. This is a device that helps search and rescue teams finding avalanche victims.
In another post, the Center described the area the avalanche happened, saying: "It occurred on a southeast facing slope at 9,800 feet elevation.
"At the crown the avalanche was 1.5-2 feet deep on average, and up to 4 feet at the deepest.
"It broke 500 feet wide and ran 600 vertical feet. It was a hard slab avalanche that broke on weak, sugary snow, and was large enough to break trees or destroy a car.
"Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim, and those involved with the rescue and recovery."
The 21-year-old was an avid snowmobile rider.
His girlfriend posted a tribute on Instagram saying: "I am truly heartbroken my handsome is no longer with me. He was an amazing man my love, my everything.
"We were supposed to get married, have children and grow old together but he was taken away to early, but he was doing what he loved."
