Eight people carried away as more than 12 avalanches hit Utah in a day, officials say
Eight people were carried down snowy Utah mountains when more than a dozen avalanches hit on the same day, officials said.
The Utah Avalanche Center reported at least “13 human-triggered” avalanches Saturday, April 22, across Ogden, Salt Lake City, Logan and Provo regions.
These people included skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers and snow bikers. They were “carried in wind slabs,” some several hundreds of feet, the agency said.
No deaths were reported.
One skier triggered an avalanche after skiing off the top of Ben Lomond Mountain near Ogden.
They were carried about 500 feet down the mountain in a slide, but they were never buried in the snow, officials said.
“Lesson — never separate when in the backcountry. My friends had not witnessed the slide. I was very lucky,” the skier said in a report to the avalanche center.
Another skier was also caught in an avalanche at Wolverine Bowl near Salt Lake City.
They were knocked over and carried about 150 feet “on top of the sliding snow,” the center said. This skier was able to get up from the fall.
“The issue appears to have been the slope angle and the fact that the storm snow was not well-adhered to the dust-covered crust from before the storm,” the report said.
The Utah Avalanche Center did not respond to McClatchy News’ request for more information.
What to know about avalanches
Avalanches happen quickly and catch people by surprise. They can move between 60 and 80 mph and typically happen on slopes of 30-45 degrees, according to experts.
Skiers, snowmobilers and hikers can set off an avalanche when a layer of snow collapses and starts to slide down the slope.
In the U.S., avalanches are most common from December to April, but they can happen at any time if the conditions are right, National Geographic reported.
At least 23 people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of April 25, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
People heading into snow should always check the local avalanche forecast at Avalanche.org, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, and have an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel ready.
“Emergency services are usually too far away from the scene of an avalanche, and time is important,” Simon Trautman, a national avalanche specialist, said. “A person trapped under the snow may not have more than 20 or 30 minutes. So, in a backcountry scenario, you are your own rescue party.”
If an avalanche breaks out, it’s best to move diagonal to the avalanche to an edge, Trautman said.
“Try to orient your feet downhill so that your lower body, not your head, takes most of the impact,” officials said. “You may also get into a tight ball as another way to protect your head.”
This story was originally published April 25, 2023 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Eight people carried away as more than 12 avalanches hit Utah in a day, officials say."
