Avalanche — Wasatch Mountains South of I-80, Utah

2008-12-14 · Wasatch Mountains South of I-80, Utah

Event narrative

Following the snow storm the previous day, the Mt. Baldy side of Snowbird resort was open to the public for the first time in the season. Prior to the avalanche, over a period of about 3 hours, an estimated 300 people crossed the starting zone of the avalanche or skied over the slope that eventually slid. At 12:24, a male snowboarder was on the high traverse of Northwest Mt. Baldy and initiated the avalanche. A 27-year-old female, who was hiking up the slope to retrieve a ski, got caught in the avalanche and was buried; she eventually died in the hospital due to injuries sustained from the avalanche.

Wider weather episode

An avalanche in-bounds at the Snowbird ski resort resulted in one fatality.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 147054. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.