In late January, two individuals lost their lives in separate snowmobile accidents in western Wyoming, according to local authorities.
Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) was called to action on January 26 after a tragic accident occurred during a guided snowmobile tour. A man and a woman, riding together in a small group, veered off the trail and struck a tree in the Togwotee Pass region.
Unfortunately, the man succumbed to his injuries after suffering a cardiac arrest.
The woman, who was found unresponsive but still breathing, was airlifted to a hospital in Idaho for medical treatment.
TCSAR received an emergency call about the snowmobile accident in the Togwotee Pass area on January 26, 2026. (Teton County Search & Rescue)
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends who are grieving this loss,” TCSAR expressed on Facebook. “This winter has been particularly tough for our mountain community. We have dealt with four fatalities, including two in the past three days.”
“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,” they added. “Be safe out there, everyone.”
Three days earlier, on Jan. 23, TCSAR responded to two additional snowmobile crashes along Granite Creek Road, one of which later proved fatal.
Teton County Search and Rescue responded to two separate snowmobile accidents on the Granite Creek Road on Jan. 23, 2026. (Teton County Search & Rescue)
In one incident, a 39-year-old man suffered a severe leg injury after crashing and rolling about 30 feet down an embankment.
TCSAR then received another call in a second incident from a guided snowmobile party after a 32-year-old woman lost consciousness and sustained life-threatening injuries when she struck a tree.
The Jackson Hole News & Guide identified the man in the Jan. 26 incident as Joshua Dillon Escamilla, 31, and the woman in the Jan. 23 incident as Edith Linares Pike.
Skiers and snowboarders ride fresh snow at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort on Dec. 11, 2021 in Teton Village, Wyoming. (Amber Baesler / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Pike was killed by head and neck trauma and was from Stamford, Connecticut, Teton County Coroner Brent Blue told the outlet.
The coroner’s office has not yet determined Escamilla’s cause of death or his hometown, though his family has been contacted in Florida.
