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Experts warn Utahns: Avalanche danger heightened across the state this weekend

Posted at 9:31 AM, Nov 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-25 11:32:01-05

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Avalanche Center is warning of a heightened avalanche risk this weekend.

North facing slopes in the mid to upper elevations in Salt Lake, Provo and Logan area mountains and the Uintas will be the most susceptible.

Currently, the Utah Avalanche Center lists the danger in those areas as "considerable," but that is expected to rise.

“Things are ramping up super quickly,” said Craig Gordon of the Utah Avalanche Center. “The backcountry lit up yesterday with the little bit of snow that we had.”

An unstable snapback from several storms this fall may become weakened by a dumping of snow.

“It becomes like potato chips and then if we put a big, dense load, a heavy slab on top of that, all we gotta do is knock those potato chips over and that slab comes ripping down the hill,” Gordon said.

Gordon noted, no one has died in an avalanche in Utah in the past two years. He credits that statistic to people being aware and knowledgeable about the dangers.

Websites like UtahAvalancheCenter.org and KBYG.org offer resources like the latest avalanche advisories and information on how to avoid triggering a disaster.

“What I want to think in my mind is where is the terrain that doesn’t have the avalanche dragons living in it,” Gordon said.

He believes being informed is the best way to make sure snow lovers can keep returning to enjoy the best snow on earth.

“When I wake up tomorrow, it’s going to be white. We are going to be stoked. We’re going to want to get after it,” Gordon said.