Summit County Sheriff Warns: Low Snow, Dangerous Roads, Rising SAR Calls

Summit County law enforcement is warning residents that unusually low snowfall this winter has not eliminated hazards on mountain roads, and a rising number of motorists and winter recreators are becoming stranded on unmaintained routes. Skyler Talbot, public information officer for the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, said, “Over the past few weeks, our search and rescue teams have become increasingly concerned with the high volume of folks making poor decisions to travel on mountain roads that really, they shouldn’t be traveling on this time of year.”

The Sheriff’s Office issued a mountain road travel warning Tuesday urging people to research routes in advance, respect seasonal conditions and stay on maintained roadways. A concrete example came Feb. 10 when Summit County Search and Rescue responded to a driver stuck near Upper Setting, above state Route 150 outside Kamas. The motorist was unable to continue or safely turn around after encountering impassable snow roughly five miles up Upper Setting Road, and Heber Valley Tow was contacted and agreed to recover the vehicle.

Low snow has left many roads ungated or passable farther than usual, creating a false sense of security that encourages drivers to venture onto high-country tracks not maintained in winter. Talbot warned that unexpected conditions can turn simple turns into expensive problems: “Where there’s snow, there’s mud.” That combination complicates turnarounds and increases the likelihood that trucks and trailers will become stuck.

The county’s Search and Rescue system is feeling the strain. An end-of-year Search and Rescue report showed the department averaged one event every three days last year for a total of 112 calls, including six avalanches. The unit increased paid staffing hours by 64 percent compared to 2024 while volunteer hours rose 117 percent. Recoveries commonly require specialized tow trucks and can cost more than $1,000, and those services require payment before responding, placing a direct financial burden on stranded motorists. Talbot cautioned, “We can’t continue to be a free vehicle recovery service.”

Officials say many of the incidents are preventable through basic preparation and better route planning. Talbot advised drivers to “Make sure you have good tires, have some emergency preparedness in your car, blanket, a little bit of food, little bit of water. And if you do find yourself in a situation where you’ve slid off the road, certainly call 911.”

For Summit County residents and visitors, the guidance is practical: stick to maintained roads, check conditions before you go, and carry winter emergency supplies even when snowfall seems light. With Search and Rescue workloads higher and recovery costs rising, those precautions reduce personal risk, protect public resources and limit out-of-pocket expenses if things go wrong. Expect continued advisories as winter conditions persist and officials monitor call volumes.