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FARMINGTON, Utah – Some trail runners participating in an ultramarathon on Saturday morning were rescued from the mountains of Davis County after a snowstorm hit the area.
At around 9:30 am, the Davis County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an “emergency” involving 87 runners. They had to deal with extreme weather conditions including 12 to 18 inches of snow and almost white conditions.
The race was suspended and the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team responded on foot, ATVs and snowmobiles to help runners descend the mountain safely.
Race organizers worked with search and rescue volunteers to ensure all registered participants were catered for and rescuers covered the entire route. All the runners had left the mountain at 2:45 p.m.
READ: Search and rescue teams warn recreational users about seasonal changes
Farmington Canyon was closed to all non-emergency vehicles during the process.
The sheriff’s office said a few runners were treated for hypothermia at the scene and released, with one also sustaining a minor injury from a fall.
The SAR volunteers “were cautiously continuing their retreat out of the mountain,” the sheriff’s office wrote in the announcement on Saturday afternoon.
“Venturing into the mountains, trails and bodies of water at this time of year can be dangerous as the weather changes quickly and conditions can quickly be life threatening. Even light rain in the valley can result in blizzard conditions at higher elevations, ”Davis County Sheriff Kelly V. Sparks wrote in a press release. “The swift and collaborative response from our search and rescue volunteers, race organizers and first responders from several agencies resulted in minimal injuries and all runners returned home safely today. I express my deep gratitude to everyone involved in this rescue effort. “
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