Avalanche — Western Uinta Mountains, Utah

2025-03-07 · Western Uinta Mountains, Utah

Event narrative

A report of a skier who failed to return home by 500 pm MST was received by Summit County Dispatch on the evening of the event 3/7. A search and rescue operation was started that evening, and crews found evidence of a recent slide, but due to reportedly extremely hazardous conditions the crews had to wait to until the following morning. Search and continue the search rescue crew ultimately found the body of a deceased 51 year old man at 1049 am MST, with a determination that he had been caught in the avalanche on a steep northeast aspect of Hoyt Peaks NE bowl. A forecaster with the Utah Avalanche Center stated that warm and strong spring sunshine may have been a contributing factor to reactivate multiple weak layers buried beneath the current snowpack. A nearby SNOTEL, Beaver Divide, recorded 1.1 inches of water from the start of the event through 500 pm MST 3/7, which at a reasonable 13 to 1 snow to liquid ratio would equate to 14.3 inches of snow. The closest SNOTEL, Redden Mine LWR, through the same time period recorded 2.5 inches of water, or at the same ratio approximately 32.5 inches of snow.

Wider weather episode

A shortwave trough moved into the region resulting in a winter storm, characterized by a more mild southwesterly flow period initially which later on transitioned to a colder northwesterly flow. This event brought substantial snow accumulations to Utah's mountains, with some lighter accumulations noted at many lower elevation spots. Additionally, an avalanche in the western Uinta mountains resulted in the fatality of a backcountry skier.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1231299. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.