Two Snowmobilers Dead After Tree Collisions in Wyoming’s Backcountry
Two snowmobilers lost their lives in separate accidents in western Wyoming during the final week of January, both after colliding with trees in what officials describe as challenging winter conditions.
Joshua Dillon Escamilla, 31, died on January 26 in Togwotee Pass while riding tandem on a snowmobile that went off-trail and struck a tree. Just three days earlier, Edith Linares Pike, 32, from Stamford, Connecticut, suffered fatal injuries after hitting a tree while riding along Granite Creek Road on January 23, according to reports.
Mounting Casualties in Difficult Season
The fatalities mark a grim milestone in what’s becoming an increasingly deadly winter for Wyoming’s backcountry enthusiasts. “This has been a challenging winter so far for our mountain community. TCSAR has responded to four fatalities, with two coming in the last three days,” Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) stated following the incidents.
In the January 26 incident, TCSAR responded to a 1:13 p.m. dispatch to the ‘L’ trail in Togwotee Pass. Escamilla was riding tandem with a woman as part of a guided group when they veered off-trail and collided with a tree. He suffered cardiac arrest at the scene, while his companion was airlifted to a hospital in Idaho, according to information published by the rescue organization.
Just three days earlier, TCSAR had already handled two separate snowmobile crashes on Granite Creek Road. In one incident, Edith Linares Pike struck a tree and died from head and neck trauma, as later confirmed by Teton County Coroner Brent Blue. In another crash the same day, a 39-year-old man suffered a severe leg injury after rolling 30 feet down an embankment, rescue officials confirmed.
Dangerous Conditions Cited
What’s behind the spike in serious accidents? Coroner Blue didn’t mince words: “People need to be careful on snowmobiles, because without much snow, everybody’s going fast as hell,” he told reporters.
The Wyoming State Trails Program has noted four snowmobile-related fatalities statewide this season by late January, prompting officials to issue urgent safety warnings. “We have already had four snowmobile-related fatalities in the state this season, and that is four too many,” State Trails Program Manager Forrest Kamminga said in a press release. “While many of our high-elevation snowmobile trail systems are officially open for business, the conditions are far less than desirable. Riders are going to encounter extremely icy and hard-packed snow conditions that significantly compromise the control of their snowmobiles,” he cautioned.
The season’s dangers extend beyond tree collisions. An additional avalanche fatality involving snowmobilers occurred on January 11 in LaBarge Creek, according to the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center’s documentation, further highlighting the multiple hazards present in the backcountry this winter.
Community Response
The volunteer rescue team expressed their condolences following the tragedies. “All of us at TCSAR offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends affected by this tragedy,” they wrote on Facebook. “We know that accidents happen and that we all make mistakes. This message is not intended to shame or judge anyone. Just please remember that when you take on a backcountry objective—no matter how big or small—the most important thing is to make sure you come home at the end of the day. Be safe out there, everyone.”
For those venturing into Wyoming’s winter backcountry, the message from officials is clear: proceed with extra caution this season, as the deceptive conditions have already proven deadly for too many.
