Avalanche — Wasatch Mountains South of I-80, Utah

2013-04-11 · Wasatch Mountains South of I-80, Utah

Event narrative

This particular avalanche fatality attracted attention because the victim, a 34-year-old male, was employed by the Utah Department of Transportation to forecast and control avalanche conditions. The victim was on duty, doing fieldwork alone on Kessler Peak (in Big Cottonwood Canyon), when he apparently ventured just a foot or two off of the safer snow. This triggered a small avalanche, but one that traveled through many sparse trees and over a couple cliffs. When he did not report in later that day, the search for him began; he was eventually found on top of the snow near the bottom of the avalanche, but he had already passed away from his injuries.

Wider weather episode

An avalanche occurred in Big Cottonwood Canyon, resulting in one fatality.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 448926. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.