UTAH COUNTY — A 21-year-old BYU student is dead after being caught in an avalanche in American Fork Canyon Saturday evening.

The avalanche victim, Ashleigh Nicole Cox, was snowshoeing near Tibble Fork Reservoir Saturday afternoon with a group of friends.

She was swept up by a small avalanche and was carried 80 to 90 yards into a stream bed, where she remained underwater and buried by snow for 40 minutes until she was rescued. Once removed, she was in full cardiac arrest and CPR was performed.

Cox’s family arrived Sunday from Colorado Springs, Colo., and at about 4:30 p.m. the decision was made to remove her from life support at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

“The victim passed when removed from life support,” said Sgt. Spencer Cannon, Utah County Sheriff’s Office public relations officer.

“Essentially, there was no brain activity,” he said. “There were no indications of her being able sustain life without life support.”

Forecasters continue to warn about increasing extreme avalanche danger.

“All the warnings continue to push avalanche danger from high to extreme. Warnings do not include highways and ski areas,” Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Drew Hardesty reported.

UDOT posted an emergency alert Sunday afternoon that SR-92 is open to Sundance through Provo Canyon and remains closed in American Fork Canyon.

US-89 is closed because of snowslide control and removal from Logan to Garden City in Cache County. Logan Canyon is not expected to reopen until Feb. 10 at 8 a.m.

Hardesty said all of the north and central Utah mountain ranges, the west Uintas and south to Manti, remain in high to extreme danger conditions. As the situation worsens, Hardesty said the danger of avalanches is moving into the lower elevations and warned residents to be cautious in the foothills.

People are asked to avoid backcountry travel altogether as triggered avalanches remain likely in many areas across the state. Although ski resorts clear the area for avalanche control, those who wish to go above a groomed slope should contact the Ski Patrol at their resort for details on skiing above the resort area.

“There have not been any [avalanches] reported [Sunday] but there were several [Saturday], I know,” Cannon said.

Snow and rainfall are expected Sunday with four to eight inches possible with a break late Monday into Tuesday.

“Tuesday things ramp up again,” said Hardesty.

Winds will be westerly at 20 to 30 mph. Temperatures will be in the mid- to upper-20s at 10,000 feet and the low- to mid-30s at 8000 feet.

For breaking news in American Fork, follow the Citizen on Twitter or find us on Facebook.