Photo: Utah Avalanche Center
The Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) reported signs of a large avalanche that had gone unnoticed over the weekend, apparently carrying two skiers or snowboarders as far as 600 feet in the Hidden Canyon Area outside Brighton Ski Resort. The report, which was released on Saturday, January 3, came after snow safety officials were investigating a separate skier-triggered slide in the same area that had happened on Wednesday, December 31, and then was reported on Friday, January 3.
One snow safety member and a UAC forecaster first spotted the aftermath and it was then investigated with another patrol director. Brighton Snow Safety’s Malia Bowman reported moving to a better viewpoint of the reported avalanche and immediately seeing the debris of another to its left. She reported “obvious” signs of two people involved, including two burial holes and one with blood.
“It’s possible that the two were caught, carried 500 feet and partially buried. The slide is estimated (to be) 2-4 feet deep and 200 feet wide, running 600 feet down a northwest-facing slope at 10,500 (feet of elevation),” it reads. “When (Brighton Patrol Director) Max (McNeil) and Malia investigated the debris pile, they found two burial holes in the snow, with probe marks…indicating that at least one person was completely buried.”
Hidden Canyon is circled. Image: Reddit
UAC officials believe the skiers or riders involved in the unreported slide had likely ducked a rope at Brighton in order to access the backcountry. UAC and Brighton are reportedly searching for more information and insisted that anybody involved is not in trouble.
“If you duck ropes or travel beyond ski area boundaries, you are entering the backcountry, where dangerous avalanche conditions may exist. Ski area closures and boundaries are in place for your safety — please respect them,” UAC wrote on Instagram Sunday. “Notably, Utah leads the nation in avalanche fatalities involving people who exited ski areas and did not return home.”
Hidden Canyon, as seen in the red-circled area above, features complex avalanche terrain and should only be entered when ski resort gates are open. Even then, avalanche knowledge and safety gear is required. Hidden Canyon regularly slides and has been the scene of many incidents over the years.
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