Snow Avalanches Coming Down in Utah

A Closer Look at Utahs Winter Wonderland

Snow Avalanches Coming Down in Utah

http://www.skiutah.com/

The Greastest Snow on Earth

This has been Utahs slogan since 1962 Used on License plates since 1985 Four million visitors in the 2012-2013 winter season. (Ski Utah) 14 resorts 6 ski areas (Ski Utah) One hour from Salt Lake International Airport 11 resorts

http://www.zulsplatepage.
com/images/ut/ut571hme.jp g

5 Themes of Geography

Location: Wasatch Range

Little Cottonwood 40 34 23 N 111 45 50 W, Big Cottonwood Millcreek Canyons 4041 22 N 111 46 59 W,
40 37 30 N 111 47 59 W

Place: Mountains, Snow Region: Mountains, Tourism, Movement: Skis, Buses, Planes, Tourist Human-Environment Interaction: Ski Resort, Watersheds, SkiLink

Human-Environment Interaction: SkiLink

Pros: Create 500 new jobs Increase local economy by $51 Million 6,000-acre ski netwrok

Cons: Supply of Wasatch public land limited Construction Degrade watershed United States Forest Service opposes

Snow Avalanche

The Rapid downslope movement of snow and ice, sometimes with the addition of rock, soil, and vegetation.
Natural Hazards Keller/DeVecchio

mountainlessons.com

Where
About 90% of all avalanches start on slopes of 30 - 45 degrees;

98% of all avalanches occur on slopes of 25 - 50 degrees.

nationalgeographic.com

http://publicsafety.utah.gov/emergenc ymanagement/utahhazards/avalanche. html

2 Most Common types of Snow Avalanches Loose-snow Slab

Utahavalanchecenter.org MacDonalds Draw

Utahavalanchecenter.org Mt. Raymond

Avalanches most dangerous natural hazard in Utah.

Photobucket.com/images/snow mobiling Avalanchecenter.org

Utah is tied for third (with Alaska) for fatalities. Colorado has always been at or near the top

dailymail.com.uk

Avalanchecenter.org

All mountains that receive snow are prone to avalanches. The Wasatch with more avalanche paths and a significant amount of snow is an equation for more avalanche activity.

theastralworld.com Avalanchecenter.org

Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, & Millcreek Canyons

Backcountry Adventures Big Cottonwood Canyon

Gently rolling aspen glades on the north side of Big Cottonwood Canyon
Wide variety of terrain in the Wasatch backcountry

Little Cottonwood Canyon

Steep chutes and rocky cliffs of Mount Superior in the heart of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Heli Skiing, Snowmobiles, & Split Boarders

Summitpost.org

Millcreek Canyon
Snowshoeing Cross country skiing

Heraldextra.com

Travelbuddy.com

161 Avalanches 2013

Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanchecenter.org Avalanchecenter.org

Backcountry Safety
Bruce Englehart: Outdoor/Avalanche Educator Avalanche Awareness Classes
Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, Utah Mountain Adventures, Utah Avalanche center

Important formal education before going out helps prepare

Know before you go

Understand and identify terrain Plan escape route Basic Rescue Gear and Knowledge
Little Cottonwood has more avalanche paths
Wasatch known for avalanche activity

Basic Rescue Gear

Beacon
Probe Shovel Avalanche Flotation Device Ava Lung Saw Backpack

2/3 Avalanche fatalities due to not carrying basic rescue gear

Half totally buried victims die even with beacons

Ski Resorts

Little Cottonwood Canyon:

Alta Snowbird Big Cottonwood Canyon: Solitude Brighton

Alta.com

Snowbird.com

Skisolitude.com

Brightonresort.com

Ski Resort Safety

Seth Underwood- Ski Patrol 14 yrs Snow safety informs on snow condition Patrol runs routes, ski check, push snow, use explosives Valley Gun Howitzer

across road
Helicopter Avalanche Control Avalanche Dogs Gear: Transceiver, shovel, probe, saw, AFD

Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NntOMCNg-U4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq2OUAa_mdA&feat ure=em-share_video_user

Have Fun Be Safe