Annual Report

1998-99

Snow & Avalanches in Utah

Forest Service Intermountain Region

In partnership with:

Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center NOAA National Weather Service

Utah Department of Public Safety Utah State University

Salt Lake County Utah State Parks and Recreation

Utah

Avalanche

Forecast

Center

USDA Forest Service
The Utah Avalanche Forecast Center is a Forest Service program under the

Intermountain Region Office and the Manti-La Sal National Forest, in partnership with the

Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

Utah Department of Public Safety Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management

Salt Lake County, Cache County

National Weather Service and

Utah State University

Utah State Parks and Recreation

National Forest Foundation

Copies of this report can be obtained by writing or calling:

Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

2242 West North Temple

Salt Lake City, Utah 84116

(801) 524-5304

or view it online at:

www.avalanche.org

Cover photograph and photo below are scanning electron micrographs from:

Nematology Laboratoryat the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, U.S. Department

of Agriculture

(www.lpsi.barc.usda.gov/emusnow)
Table of Contents

Utah Avalanche Forecast Center - An Overview ................................... 1

Nuts And Bolts ......................................................................................... 3

Season Highlights ................................................................................... 5

Telephones and the Internet ................................................................... 6

Season History - Northern Utah ............................................................. 8

Season History - Logan Area Mountains .............................................. 12

Season History - La Sal Mountains ....................................................... 14

Avalanche Incidents and Accidents ...................................................... 16

Changing Patterns of Backcountry Use ................................................ 22

Avalanche Education .............................................................................. 24

Media ........................................................................................................ 25

Observer Program ................................................................................... 27

Budget ...................................................................................................... 28

Appendix .................................................................................................. 33

Tables .............................................................................................. 33

Examples of UAFC Products ......................................................... 41

Examples of Print Media Coverage ............................................... 43
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

1

The Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

An overview

Our goal:

Help keep people on top of the Greatest Snow on Earth instead of buried beneath it.

Where do avalanche accidents occur?

Ninety eight percent of all avalanche fatalities occur in the backcountry—areas outside of

ski area boundaries where no avalanche control is done. Ski areas and highway avalanche

control crews routinely knock down avalanches with explosives before the public arrives each

morning. They have done their jobs so well that they have almost completely eliminated

avalanche deaths at ski areas and on highways. Since 1980, less than one percent of avalanche

fatalities have involved general public on open runs at ski areas or on open highways.

What kind of people get caught in avalanches?

Ninety two percent of people killed in avalanches since 1985 have been recreationists, and

they are almost always very skilled in their sport. In almost all cases their skill in their sport

significantly outpaces their avalanche skills. Looking at the most recent 5 years of national data,

nearly twice as many snowmobilers have been killed as any other user group, followed by

climbers, backcountry skiers, snowboarders and miscellaneous recreationists such as hikers and

snowshoers (see charts on page 16).

How do people get caught?

In over 95 percent of avalanche fatalities, the avalanche was triggered by the victim or

someone in the victim’s party. As Pogo says, “We have met the enemy and it is us.” Which is

actually good, because it means that, 95 percent of the time, we can avoid avalanche accidents

through our route finding and snow stability decisions.

In summary, avalanche fatalities occur almost exclusively in the backcountry, almost always

involve recreationists, and almost all avalanche incidents can be avoided if we choose.

How we help solve the problem:

We give backcountry travelers the weapon of knowledge. In order to avoid triggering

avalanches, backcountry travelers need:

Critical, up-to-date avalanche information.

We issue daily recorded avalanche bulletins that give the public important avalanche

information they need to make their life-and-death decisions in avalanche terrain. And we also

forecast snow stability and weather trends into the future. Our information helps the public to

decide what kind of terrain is safe, what kind is dangerous and we give them useful clues to look

for when they venture into avalanche terrain.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

2

We provide information on current avalanche conditions primarily through our avalanche

bulletins. People access these by:

w Recorded message updated each day

w Live interviews each day on two different public radio stations

w The Internet

w Faxes sent out each morning to businesses and Forest Service offices

w In times of extreme or unusual avalanche conditions, we issue an avalanche warning that

reaches all the broadcast and print media as well as NOAA weather radio.

Finally, we “preach the avalanche gospel” as much as possible to the local, national and

international media. This season, for instance, several documentaries played on national

television including National Geographic and several on the Discovery Channel and PBS. UAFC

staff are featured in most of these documentaries.

Avalanche education:

We teach about 25 free, basic avalanche awareness classes each season. These not

only give the public an overview of the avalanche problem, but also some basic avalanche skills.

These classes encourage them to take a more involved avalanche class offered by the private

sector.

Our Philosophy:

Just because people hear the information doesn’t mean they listen. Even good

information, if presented in a boring way, wastes the taxpayer’s money because no one will

remember it. Therefore, we try to make the bulletins entertaining so that people will remember

what they hear and enjoy the experience enough to use the bulletins regularly. We try and use all

the standard tools of effective writing and speaking such as using active voice, first person,

examples and stories to illustrate points, humor where appropriate and reading the bulletins in a

natural voice, like talking to a friend. The recorded bulletins are informal, chatty and funny, yet

informative. It also makes our work fun.

We believe local forecasters do a much better job than distant forecasters.

Local people know local conditions better. They’re out in it every day, they see it from their

window and they talk with people on the street about it. Because of this, we believe that local

people should issue avalanche bulletins for local areas, as long as they have the avalanche skills

to do so. For this reason, three crews of avalanche forecasters operate in Utah, one in Logan,

another in Salt Lake City and a third in Moab.

We believe in a strong field-based program.

Avalanche forecasting is more of an art than a science. And because of this, computers

never have, and most likely never will, be able to forecast avalanche hazard as well as an

experienced and skilled human being. Avalanche forecasting works best when the person putting

out the forecast has an intimate, daily connection to the snowpack. We notice that the longer we
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

3

spend in an office, the more out of touch with the snowpack we become. Therefore we always put

in one or more field days before our forecasting shift, and we never have more than two forecast

days in a row.

This is our philosophy and it seems to be working. More people call the UAFC bulletin

each season than any other avalanche bulletin in North America, and the number keep increasing

by an average of 20 percent per year. The numbers of people going into the backcountry keep

increasing exponentially, yet the death rate has risen more slowly. We also see an increasing

demand for avalanche education and information, not only by Utahns, but by the national an

international media.

We are very passionate about our work because it’s more than a job, it saves lives.

Nuts and Bolts

The UAFC is operationally separated into three entities: the Logan area mountains, the La

Sal Mountains near Moab and the Wasatch Mountains near the cities of Salt Lake, Ogden, Park

City and Provo.

Mike Jenkins, Liz Hebertsen Darren McAvoy and Bruce Engelhard record the avalanche

bulletins in the Logan area mountains on weekends and each Wednesday and the Salt Lakebased staff record the Logan bulletin on the remaining days. Mike Jenkins has taught a quarterlong avalanche class for Utah State University for a number of years and he has organized a fine

consortium of local volunteers, graduate students and workers. Their office is located at Utah

State University in the Department of Forest Resources.

In Moab, Faerthen Felix is the sole forecaster. The Moab office is located in the Moab

Ranger District on the Manti-Lasal National Forest.

Last, but not least, the vast majority of the backcountry use occurs in the Wasatch Range

of northern Utah. A staff of six full time workers cover the Ogden, Salt Lake City, Park City and

Provo area mountains—arguably the most heavily used mountain range in the U.S. Bruce

Tremper in his 13th season heads the operation along with a very experienced staff: Tom

Kimbrough, Evelyn Lees, Seth Shaw and Carol Ciliberti. All are Forest Service employees under

the Intermountain Regional Office. Lastly, a private, nonprofit group, the Friends of the Utah

Avalanche Forecast Center, contract the intrepid Bob Athey as a full time backcountry observer.

The Salt Lake office is co-located with the National Weather Service at the Salt Lake International

Airport.

Although Bruce Tremper spends most of his time in the Wasatch operation, he oversees all

three operations to insure consistency in quality.

The Utah Avalanche Forecast Center is a Forest Service program under the Intermountain

Region and the Manti-La Sal National Forest, in partnershp with Utah State University, the State of

Utah Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, the

National Weather Service and private contributions through the Friends of the Utah Avalanche
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

4

Forecast Center.

The public can access the bulletins in the following ways:

Telephone:

Salt Lake City - (24 phone lines) (801) 364-1581

Logan (multi-line PBX system at Utah State University) (435) 797-4146

Park City (multi-line PBX system at Park City Resort) (435) 658-5512

Ogden (multi-line PBX system at Weber State University) (801) 626-8600

Provo (multi-line PBX system at Brigham Young University) (435) 378-4333

Alta (multi-line PBX system through the Town of Alta) (801) 742-0830

Moab (single phone line) (435) 259-7669

Radio Stations (live on-air reports each morning around 8:00 am)

KRCL 91 FM

KPCW 92 FM

Internet:

http://www.avalanche.org

http://nimbo.wrh.noaa.gov/Saltlake

http://www.csac.org

Fax:

We operate an automated fax distribution of the bulletin for selected businesses and Forest

Service offices that post a hard copy for the public to read.

To contact our office: (801) 524-5304 (phone)

(801) 524-4030 (fax)

e-mail: uafc@wasatch.com
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

5

n Five avalanche fatalities occurred this season in Utah, three snowboarders, one

snowmobiler and one hiker. For the third season in a row, no skiers died in avalanches in

Utah. As of this writing, one of two missing snowmobilers on the Wasatch Plateau was

recovered in an avalanche path, but rescuers do not believe that avalanches killed either

victim; so will not list either of these as avalanche deaths. Utah has averaged 4.2

avalanche deaths per season over the past five seasons.

n We know of at least 70 people who unintentionally triggered backcountry avalanches this

season, of those, 50 were caught, 19 were partly buried, seven were totally buried and five

killed. This only represents the incidents we heard about and we estimate that perhaps

twice as many people triggered avalanches as these numbers suggest.

n Once again, more people accessed UAFC products than any other avalanche center in

North America. The public called UAFC hotlines 109,521 times, which averages over 600

per day. Including the Internet, the public accessed UAFC advisories 246,000 times

(averaging 1,366 times per day), and they accessed the mountain weather forecast

113,139 times (averaging 628 times per day). The call numbers are down from previous

years because of the low snow year, but also because more and more people access

UAFC products via the Internet instead of phone lines.

n We taught 50 avalanche classes, directly reaching 2,429 people. Most classes were free

and open to the public. Audiences include snowmobile groups, skiers, snowboarders,

snowshoers, hikers, hunters, Boy Scout troops, rescue groups and other people who use

the backcountry in winter.

n Once again, UAFC staff was prominently featured in the media in a positive light. We

conducted two different on-camera interviews for national television documentaries,

provided avalanche information to 11 national television programs, were interviewed by

seven national print media, eight local television programs, five local radio programs and

12 local print media. In addition national television documentaries produced in past years

continued to air including National Geographic and several others on the Discovery

Channel and PBS.

n Utah finished the season with a below average snowpack—significantly below average in

some areas. The “La Nina” ocean currents created a significantly above average

snowpack in the northern U.S. with a below average snowpack in the southern U.S. and

unfortunately, Utah ended up just south of the dividing line.

Season Highlights
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

6

This season, was an unusually low snow year, so we expected less people to call the

recorded avalanche advisory than the previous above average snow years. But the call rate took

a disproportionately huge drop. The recorded avalanche advisory in Salt Lake City totaled only a

wimpy 76,880 calls this season compared to 106,000 last season and 113,000 the season before.

The numbers have not been this low since 1990. But we think we can explain.

The Internet hits have been rising at the same rate the recorded telephone calls have been

falling. This season, for the first time ever, more people got their forecast over the Internet than

the recorded telephone message. And the mountain weather forecast proved to be even more

popular than the avalanche advisory, with an average of 628 hits per day for the mountain weather

forecast and 605 for the avalanche advisory, with nearly 200 additional daily subscribers to the

advisory via the “proxy server” Cyberspace Snow and Avalanche Center. With an average of only

472 calls per day to the recorded advisory, nearly twice as many people get their information over

the Internet than the telephone.

This has changed the way we do our business and it promises to change even more

dramatically in future years. This season we unveiled the “Powder the Polar Bear” web page, in

which our mascot, Powder the Polar Bear points to the avalanche danger level in the same way

Smoky Bear points to the fire danger during the winter. It is a quick and easily digested way for

the public to access avalanche information without having to read through the avalanche advisory

for the bottom line.

We want to give the public several levels of detail in their avalanche information. First,

Powder the Polar Bear gives the bottom line—or danger at a glance. Second, we do live radio

interviews each day on three different public radio stations and that gives the public an

intermediate level of avalanche information. Finally, the written text of the avalanche advisory (or

the recorded message) gives the most detail, designed for the more hard core users who need to

know as much information as possible before going out.

Several years ago, our philosophy was to not give the public the bottom-line avalanche

danger rating without first forcing them to listen to the details. We were afraid that they would

abuse the information in its simple form. For instance, we were afraid they would hear “moderate

danger” and, thinking it was safe, rush out into the backcountry and find one of the booby traps

that we described on our more detailed report. But times have changed. We realize that as more

and more people recreate in the mountains, each needs a different level of information. The

person who wants to walk their dog up Mill Creek Canyon only wants to know the general danger

level. A Boy Scout troop headed into moderate terrain for a camp-out wants an intermediate level

of information because they can’t understand many of the more technical terms on the detailed

advisory anyway. Then the hard core snowmobilers, skiers, boarders and climbers, who have

taken avalanche classes and read the books, want to know all the details. Our customers are

changing and we must find ways to change with them.

Future projects include an Internet-based GIS display of avalanche danger so that

someone can zoom in on a map to see the rated avalanche danger, then click on a location to

view additional information in any level of detail they desire.

Telephones and the Internet

Changing Times - Changing Technologies
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

7

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

Number of Calls and Internet Hits

77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Winter

Public Access of Avalanche 

Advisories

Salt Lake CSAC

hits

Salt Lake NWS

hits

Moab hits

Moab Telephone

State Snowmobile Hotline

Alta

Telephone

Park City

Telephone

Provo Telephone

Salt Lake

Telephone

Total UAFC Product Use 

1998-99

(336,149 Total Products Accessed by Public)

Salt Lake Telephone 

Advisory

Logan Telephone Advisory

Ogden Telephone Advisory

Provo Telephone Advisory

Park City Telephone 

Advisory

Alta Telephone Advisory

State Snow-mobile Hotline

Moab Telephone Advisory

Moab Internet Hits

Internet Salt Lake Advisory 

Hits

Internet Mountain Weather 

Hits

 More people access the advisory via the Internet than the recorded telephone hotline. As technology

changes, we expect that more and more people will use the Internet in lieu of the telephone. We will have to

adapt to the changing technology.

Telephone access has droped slightly but not nearly as fast as the rise of Internet access to UAFC products.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

8

Season History

Salt Lake, Ogden, Park City and Provo area mountains

by Tom Kimbrough

La Nina, El Nino, and all that

These weather brats are getting tiresome. Last year it was El Nino, this year it’s La Nina.

Like poorly disciplined kids, they get their own way despite our complaints.

El Nino tends to keep the storm track south of Utah and La Nina keeps it north of Utah. In

either case, we are always caught in the limbo-land between the two patterns. Consequently

neither El Nino nor La Nina ever mean very much to Utah. Sometimes we get it, sometimes we

don’t. This year we didn’t. The La Nina storm track stayed just barely north of Utah, hitting Idaho

and Wyoming hard but the magic line ended up around the northern Utah border. Everything

south of there was dry. The most northerly mountains of Utah—the Logan area mountains—

developed the deepest snow pack in the state and had consistently better backcountry conditions

than the rest of the range.

Alta, located in the core of what we call the “central Wasatch,” had a below average winter

with November, January and February exceeding average monthly snow totals, but not by much.

December and March had less than half of average snowfall. No month hit 100 inches, a rare

occurrence in the Wasatch. Not since the winter of 78-79 have we not had at least one winter

month reaching 100 inches of snowfall.

The low snow year also fostered a glum attitude among the spoiled-rotton backcountry

recreationists in Utah, especially having come off of above average snow years and unusually

good snow conditions in five of the past six seasons. Plus, it hardly ever snowed in the valley, and

human nature, being what it is, most people think the whole world is exactly like where they are,

and few believed that the snow in the mountains was any good. There were lots of whiners, and

our call rate took a huge hit this season because of the combination of low snow and also from

more information dissemination being shifted to the Internet (see Information Dissemination

section).

Season History

In the southern Wasatch and indeed, in the southern two thirds of Utah, drought conditions

were the rule.

Unfortunately, the winter’s lack of snow did not mean a dearth of avalanche accidents.

With the pattern fitting recent trends, snowmobilers, snowboarders and one hiker accounted for all

the fatalities; no backcountry skiers were killed. Another evident trend is towards avalanche

accidents in areas outside of the heavily used Salt Lake section of the Wasatch Range. This

probably reflects greater backcountry use in areas that saw little or no winter traffic five or ten

years ago.

None of the victims were carrying avalanche beacons or rescue gear. While beacons and

rescue gear does not guarantee safety and may even give a false sense of security, this

equipment does indicate that the people are aware of the possible danger, a big step towards

backcountry safety.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

9

NOVEMBER

There was less than 10 inches of snow on the ground at the Alta Guard Station at the end

of October. This changed quickly as a series winter storms moved through northern Utah during

the first 10 days of the month. On Friday, November 5 a cold storm dropped 17" at Alta and we

issued our first bulletin of the season.

The sports reporters talk about March Madness in basketball but that seems tame

compared to Little Cottonwood Lunacy when the season’s first snow arrives. Saturday dawned

clear unleashing a hoard of hikers in the not-yet open ski areas of Alta and Snowbird. Many of

these people are normally resort skiers and boarders that are not accustomed to thinking about

avalanches.

Snowboarder fatality at Snowbird

On this first Saturday of the winter season literally hundreds of people were hiking up hill at

Alta and Snowbird ski areas which were not yet open for the season (and consequently, no

avalanche control). As the lower slopes became tracked out, they sought ever higher terrain

despite an increasing wind that was rapidly increasing the avalanche danger. One group of 5

boarders, most of them from out of state, hiked up the Alta side of Mt. Baldy to reach the

northwest face on the Snowbird side. This is a notoriously avalanche prone slope that produces

large slides each year from control work. After four people had descended to mid slope, the 5th

person down triggered an 18" deep wind deposit that dropped 500 vertical feet, overtaking most of

the others below. Several of them were caught in the slide and one person was totally buried.

None of them had avalanche beacons so they had to go for help. Members of the Alta and

Snowbird patrols responded. The victim was located several hours after the slide. He had been

killed by trauma from the rough ride through the cliffs.

Snowfall continued after this accident, adding up to almost three feet in Little Cottonwood

with about two feet in Big Cottonwood and six to ten inches in other parts of the range.

After this unfortunate early start to the avalanche season November’s weather tapered off

to only a few dustings of new snow. The Little Cottonwood Lunacy had claimed it’s due; there were

no more avalanche incidents in the Wasatch until Christmas Day.

DECEMBER

Not exactly a great powder month. Alta received only 41 inches of snow, 46% of average.

Temperatures were rather warm for December but a week of cold temperatures and clear skies

shortly before Christmas put the finishing touch on the thin snow pack. The snow on all of the

shady slopes turned almost completely to very weak, faceted crystals.

It’s a bad feeling. When the snow pack gets as weak as it became in December we know

people will die in avalanches. As soon as snowfall or wind deposits a layer of cohesive snow on

top of the faceted snow the avalanche danger rises dramatically. We know its coming; we try to

get the word out but we also know that a few people will make the wrong move and get nailed.

Tiny accumulations Christmas week provided a clue. A couple of days with less than 5

inches of new snow plus some wind produced several incidents but no one was hurt. A foot of new

snow on New Year’s Eve resulted in plenty of avalanche activity but we still knew that the big show

was yet to come.

JANUARY

We also knew that the avalanche danger was rising in other parts of the state. Although

we get very little avalanche information in central Utah it wasn’t hard to extrapolate from the

season’s weather pattern that the Wasatch Plateau had a thin and weak snow pack, and that
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

10

would rock and roll when loaded with new or wind blown snow.

Two snowboarders killed on the Wasatch Plateau

There had not been much new snow but strong winds had swept the area. In an especially

tragic accident, two teenage snowboarders near Fairview, Utah were looking for a place to make a

few turns. They parked their car on the highway and walked across a flat area about 75 feet from

the road to the edge of a drop off where they fractured a cornice. They fell onto the steep slope

below, triggering an avalanche that buried them in a gully. Their snowboards were stuck in the

snow just above the fracture, as if they had just taken a couple steps closer to the edge to have a

look down the slope. No one saw them get caught but their car and the snowboards quickly led

the search team to the avalanche and they soon found their bodies with a probe search.

Snowmobilers missing on the Wasatch Plateau

During this same period two brothers were snowmobiling on the Wasatch Plateau and did

not return as scheduled. A search party found one of their snowmobiles but no sign of the two

men. It is possible that one or both may have been involved in an avalanche but this is only

conjecture until we have more evidence. As of this writing, one of the victims was located in an

avalanche path; However, because of other evidence, most of the searchers believe it was not an

avalanche accident, so we will not count them as avalanche fatalities

.

Mid January was the turning point. About 90 inches of new snow fell at Alta from January

15 through the end of the month. This was more like the Wasatch but the snow on the ground at

the beginning of the period was more like Colorado or Montana. Forty inches of snow on the 20th

and 21th pushed many slopes past the breaking point. With avalanche warnings in effect the

danger hit extreme on the morning of the 21th. Numerous large slide ran spontaneously but most

people were aware of the obvious danger and there were no serious incidents.

As the storms tapered off the following week more people ventured into the backcountry,

triggering a number of slides but no one was badly caught or injured.

On January 27 a storm with a strong southerly flow hit the Wasatch. This type of storm

often produces more snow in the southern parts of the range. In this case Alta received about a

foot of snow while the Provo Mountains got double that amount. This was especially disturbing in

light of the very thin and relatively weaker snow pack in this area. Warned of the problem by our

Provo observers we increased the danger level in Utah County and other southern mountains.

Snowmobiler fatality on Mt. Nebo

Two extreme snowmobilers were high-marking on the east side of Mt. Nebo near Nephi,

Utah on the 29th. One of them, a 31-year-old, descended into a steep bowl and was trying to

climb back out of the bowl while his partner waited on top, and he triggered a large avalanche on a

very steep east-facing part of the bowl. His partner descended onto the slope on foot and

searched in vain for his partner. He had a cell phone but couldn’t get a singal and he climbed to a

place where he could get a signal and called for help. He then returned to the slide debris and

eventually found the toe of his partner’s boot sticking out of the snow near the edge of the

avalanche debris. He dug him up and started CPR but he did not respond. The autopsy showed

that he had died from trauma.

Interestingly enough, the victim owned an avalanche beacon but was not wearing it at the

time. Also, of interest, he had bought a used track for his snowmobile three days before the

accident, and he mentioned to the woman that waited on him that he had triggered and outrun an

avalanche in the same area the previous week. The woman told him he should be more careful

and he responded: “I know. I won’t live long enough to be that old...I expect to be killed in an
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

11

avalanche.”

FEBRUARY

Although February did not bring Utah any large storms, the month was more consistently

snowy than any other period of the winter. Alta’s monthly total was 98 inches, 121% of average.

Hiker fatality near Lone Peak

The Wasatch snow pack was reasonably stable during the month but areas with thin cover

had more deep-slab problems. Little Willow Canyon between Little Cottonwood and the “Point of

the Mountain” fit this description and on February 6 a party of winter hikers attempting to climb

Lone Peak triggered a slide. Unfortunately, one of their group had turned back because he was

getting cold and wet. As he descended, the rest of the group unintentionally triggered the slide

that overran him as he descended. The others unsuccessfully looked for him, then went down for

help. Wasatch Backcountry Rescue quickly responded and an avalanche search dog located the

young man’s body several hours later, but he did not respond to CPR.

MARCH

Snowfall really tapered off in March. Normally a wet month, the Alta totals, at only 40

inches, were only 43% of average. There were two up-sides to the lack of snow. An excellent

period of “corn” snow developed as the high sun angle melted the surface during the day and cool

temperatures and clear skies hardened the snow at night.

The other advantage was very few avalanches during the month. One notable event was a

close call with a snowmobiler in the Unita Mountains. The high-marking snowmobiler triggered a

wet slab avalanche on a shady slope. He was able to grab a tree and hang on. His partner

thought he might be near the tree and looked for him there. Digging down beside the tree

provided an air channel for the buried person. Other snowmobilers arrived later and were able to

dig him out, still breathing after over an hour’s burial. In shock and with a broken leg, he was

evacuated by helicopter.

APRIL

Several decent powder storms felt more like winter than spring in early April but the

precipitation didn’t last long. After a storm that dropped two feet on April 9, the weather reverted

to the March pattern and the corn snow returned.

MAY

So what else is new? After a dry season, and after most ski areas were closed, winter

finally began to kick in. Over one hundred inches of snow fell in the first part of May in Little

Cottonwood Canyon and this brought many of the skiers and boarders out of the closet for one

last fling.

Close call at Alta

On May 5th, Snowbird—the only ski area still in operation—decided not to open because of

the dangerous avalanche conditions. Many of the disappointed skiers and boarders headed up

the canyon to Alta Ski Area, which was closed for the season, and consequently no one was doing

any avalanche control. It was sunny with great powder, dangerous avalanche conditions and

hoards of mostly avalanche-ignorant people crawling all over a mountain with no avalanche

control—the perfect setup for an avalanche accident. Someone triggered a slide high on Lone

Pine and it descended into the crowded Corkscrew run and ran to within 200 feet of the bottom of

the Collins lift. In all, eleven people were involved in the avalanche with three partial burials—and
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

12

one person with a twisted knee. Rescuers probed the debris because they didn’t know if anyone

else was caught.

This kind of avalanche incident tends to happen regularly each fall and each spring at the

closed ski areas. Many people have to discover, the hard way, the critical importance of

avalanche control at ski areas. Like many of the good things in life, we notice it only when it’s

missing.

The winter of 1998-99 was dryer and generally warmer than normal. It turned out to be a

classic “La Nina” with the jet stream typically on the Utah/Idaho border on a west-southwest flow.

We benefitted from a few early season brush-byes that missed the Salt Lake Area Mountains.

The season was characterized by small storms (no single storm event exceeded 14 inches)

followed by one to two weeks of high pressure.

The first significant storms of the season occurred in November and early December resulting

in a shallow early season snowpack totaling about 27 inches at 8700 feet by Christmas Eve. Two

extremely cold, high pressure periods, one from December 2nd through the 9th , and another

from December 17th -23rd resulted in snowpack layers becoming generally faceted with grain

sizes 2-5 mm. Ten thousand foot minimum temperatures during the second period remained

below 0 degrees, dropping down to -17 at their coldest. Daytime high temperatures were in the

single digits.

A series of storms over the Holidays delivered 26 inches of new snow to mountains of the

northern Wasatch. The snow arrived in 2-8-inch shots. This was enough to greatly improve

conditions for backcountry travel, but also resulted in the first avalanche cycle of the season.

Snow was relatively wet and heavy. Avalanching was widespread, with most avalanches running

within faceted layers, and occurring at elevations above 9000 feet, on northerly aspects with

slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Fortunately, few encounters between humans and avalanches

were reported. A short period of cold temperatures following the holidays resulted in near-surface

faceting and surface hoar development.

The most significant avalanche cycle of the season occurred between January 14th -24th .

Total new snow was 47 inches with individual storms delivering 2 -14 inches and 4.7 inches of

water. Avalanching was again widespread with large slab avalanches occurring in paths that had

not previously run. These often stepped down into pre-holiday faceted layers. “Repeaters” also

occurred during this time in steep, wind-effected terrain. Four human triggered avalanches

occurred during this time, two by skiers and two by snowmobilers.

The mountains of the northern Wasatch received 26 more inches of new snow between

February 4th and 9th. A short period of sub-zero temperatures and very strong SW winds follwed

this storm on February 9th. Sustained wind speeds reached 52 mph at 10,000 feet with gusts up

80 mph. This resulted in the formation of sensitive wind slabs and cornices along northeast ridge

lines and upper lee slopes. A skier triggered one large slab avalanche on a very steep northeastfacing slope during this time.

Large storms forecasted for mid February pooped out. Ten inches of 6% water content snow

fell during the heaviest storm on February 21st. Strong southwest winds accompanied this event.

We received one reported of a skier triggering a soft slab in a steep, low elevation, east-facing

bowl. Small storms with southwest winds continued throughout February and into early March and

Season History

Logan Area Mountains

by Mike Jenkins and Liz Hebertson
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

13

several additional human triggered avalanches were reported. Fourteen inches of snow fell on

March 4th, 9th and 11th which brought the total snow depth to only 86 inches, the greatest total

depth of the year.

Dry and mostly warm conditions prevailed throughout the remainder of March punctuated by a

cold snap around the first of spring. During this period, the total snow depth fell to 80 inches.

Some of the best conditions of the year occurred at the end of March and into early April. A nice

cold front arrived on March 27th and several days of stormy weather dumped nearly 4 feet of

additional snow. We ended our forecast season on Easter Sunday, April 4th with the greatest total

snow of the year at 103 inches.

Although official record keeping ended on April 4th, it is noteworthy that snow continues to

accumulate even as of this writing in early May. In sum, it was a mostly uneventful year in the

Logan area mountains, but whenever our snow totals keep pace with Alta we feel we have done

well.

Avalanche Incidents

There were eleven reports of human-triggered avalanches within our forecast area this

season, with five people were caught—two snowmobilers, one snowboarder and two skiers. Both

snowmobile incidents occurred on January 19 in Providence Canyon just south of Logan.

In the first incident, a party of snowmobilers crossed below a steep, north facing slope with

cliff bands and triggered the slide. One was caught, carried downslope, through trees and

completely buried with only his fingertips exposed. Members of his party located him quickly and

dug him out. Fortunately, he was uninjured. The second incident occurred in the same area, but

further upslope later in the day. The details are sketchy but apparently one young man was

caught and partially buried. His friends helped dig him out.

A snowboarder was caught by a loose sluff in the Ogden area mountains on February 21st.

While boarding a steep, northeast facing slope, the boarder triggered a slide that knocked him off

his feet and carried him down toward a gully below. He swam to stay near the surface and by

occasionally edging into the bed surface with his board, he got to the side where he grabbed a

tree. He was buried up to his chest, but uninjured.

On February 20th a back country skier triggered a shallow wind slab (crown about 4") north

east of Pebble Creek, Idaho (within our forecast area) that carried him down a steep chute and

into a tree where he fractured his femur and was partly buried. Details of the incident are provided

below as reported by Jeff and Kellie Rhoads of the Pebble Creek Ski Patrol.

Finally, the last incident occurred on April 2nd, the final weekend of forecasting. A skier in

Wood Camp, in Logan Canyon, triggered and was caught in a wet slab avalanche.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

14

October

 Labor Day came and went without the customary first visible snow of the season visiting

the La Sal peaks. There was much discussion about what this might portend for the snow totals,

but without a general consensus, we would have to wait to find out. Meanwhile, everyone enjoyed

what seemed to be an endless summer. Winter finally arrived with a couple of good storms

around the middle of the month, ensuring over a foot of snow on the ground for the start of the

Forecast Season on November 15.

November

The month was dry and temperatures in the mountains stayed just at freezing, preserving

the snow already on the ground. A couple of bold individuals put in some ski tracks in the shallow

snow, but most recreationists stuck to the snow-covered roads. Mother Nature was stingy with

precipitation this month; a promising storm on the 28th left just 3/4" of new snow at the Geyser

Pass Trailhead, ending the month with 13" on the ground.

December

The dry spell continued through the month with disappointing storms delivering just 2" on

the 8th and another 4" on the 20th. Turns could be had by sticking to deep old wind deposits

where the faceted snow made for smooth turning, but the danger of bottoming out and hitting

something hard loomed like the Sword of Damocles. A blast of arctic air entered the state the

week before Christmas, breaking pipes in Moab and Castle Valley and permitting a short iceskating season on Ken’s Lake. Temperatures rose and a storm arrived in time to leave us 6" of

light density fluff for New Year’s Day. The new snow fell on weak surface hoar and well-developed

facets, wrecking the smooth ice-skating and resulting in high avalanche hazard to end 1998.

January

The New Year’s Eve snow was not enough to form a supportable base over the rotten

snow on the ground, not even for snowboards. The dry weather pattern continued in January and

most locals forgot about making turns and rode their bikes or went climbing as temperatures rose

into the 50’s in the valley. The weather began to change mid-month as snow began to dribble in.

1" on the 16th, 1⁄2” on the 17th, 3" on the 20th and 9" on the 21st triggered natural avalanching that

tore out some of the rotten snow, but didn’t finish the job. Another 6" fell by the 27th and winds

blew strong from the southwest, building slabs that collapsed loudly and visibly as the first, second

and even third tourer passed! The month ended with 28" of snow on the Geyser Pass Trailhead

stake and total of 20.5" of snowfall for the month.

February

6" of new snow that accumulated between the 1st and the 11th finally covered the deadfall

in the evergreens and built a supportable base for the season’s first real skiing. Unfortunately, the

skies dried up except for a trace of snow on the 15th. Still plagued by buried early season faceted

crystals, the avalanche hazard remained spotty but considerable, dropping to moderate during the

Season History

La Sal Mountains

by Faerthen Felix
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

15

last two weeks of the month. SNOTEL data put us at 54% of normal snow depth but 102% of

normal water since October 1. The Geyser Pass Trailhead snow stake showed 28".

March

March came in warm and windy, removing the snow from all but protected northerly aspects

of the high peaks and pushing the overnight freezing line above 9500 ft during the first The month

remained mild with storms bringing just 2" of new snow on the 8th, 1" on the 12th and 1" on the

13th. Temperatures in the valley climbed into the mid 70’s by mid-month as Moab’s spring invasion

of sun-seekers began and the snow crept back into shady ravines. The newer snow stabilized, but

underneath this strong slab the hollow faceted crystals persisted, casting a worrisome cloud over

carefree spring descents. A passing cold front on the 26th left a morning dusting of new snow on

the peaks and lowered temperatures for a few days, but winter seemed to be over early. The last

week of the month was Apocalyptic: dry, hot and windy with Jeep Safari dust casting a grim haze

over the desert...with just 24" on the Geyser Pass Trailhead snow stake on the 31st, I fear what

August brings this dry year!

April

We awoke to a mountain dusting of new snow on the morning of the 1st. The 2nd brought much

needed water to the desert and 14" of new snow to the La Sals, raising the Geyser Pass trailhead

snow stake to 38". The winter storm track lingered, adding another 20" on the 5th and 1" on the

7th. By the 8th, warm temperatures settled the storm’s 35" to only 17" and strong winds stained

the snow pink with desert sand as far away as the San Juan Mountains. The County Road

Department snow plowing funds were gone, so only the fit and determined could even reach the

slopes. Unfortunately for Marshall Hannum and the few other hardy souls who made the trek, the

rapidly settling snow was sticky and unskiable, making for a long hike back to the car.

The pattern seems well-entrenched, so spring should look more like winter than winter did

this year, but the season funds are gone and interest in winter recreation has died in favor of golf,

mt. biking and river running.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

16

Avalanche Incidents and Accidents

International Statistics

World Avalanche Fatalities 1976-98

125

153

185

148

133

153

138

149

174

224

204

123

150

78

100

192

99

146

110

140

170

146 138

0

50

100

150

200

250

76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98

Winter

Number of Fatalities

Avalanche Fatalities by Country - 1992-98

France

Austria

U.S.A.

Switzerland

Italy

Canada

Norway

Spain

Germany

Internationally, avalanche fatalities have remained relatively constant. In contrast, U.S.

fatalities have been rising sharply.

The U.S.is very close to Austria as having the second most avalanche fatalities in the world

behind France.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

17

National Statistics

U.S. Avalanche Fatalities 1950-98

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Winter

Number of Fatalities

5-Year Moving Average 

Avalanche Fatalities by State 1991-1999

CO

AK

UT

MT

CA

WA

WY

ID OR NV

NH

NY

AZ

NM

U.S. avalanche fatalities continue to rise in contrast to a steady number internationally. A record number of

avalanche fatalities occurred this season in the U.S.--33 as of this writing.

Utah usually runs neck-and-neck with Alaska for second place behind Colorado for the most avalanche

fatalities. This season, Alaska had an unprecedented 13 avalanche fatalities.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

18

U.S. Avalanche Fatalities by Type

1994-1999

152 Total Fatalities

Snowmobilers

Climbers

Skiers

Snowboarders

Misc Recreation

Others at work

Residents

Patrollers

Motorists/Highway workers

U.S. Snowmobile Avalanche Fatalities by Year 

1968-99

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 89 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Winter

Number of Fatalities

5-Year Moving Average 

Since 1994, there has been nearly twice as many snowmobiler fatalities as any other activity.

Snowmobiler fatalities have taken a frightening jump since 1994, and the trend will most likely continue.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

19

Avalanche Fatalities in Utah 1951-99

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Winter

Number of Fatalities

5-Year Moving Average

Utah Statistics

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Number of Incidents

Triggered Caught Partly Buried Totally Buried Killed

Type of Incident

Avalanche Incidents in Utah 1985-99

Avalanche fatalities in Utah continue to rise. In the past 5 seasons, Utah averages 4.2 deaths per season.

Over the past 15 seasons, for each person killed in an avalanche, an average of 17 people unintentionally

trigger avalanches, 8 are caught and 3 are partially buried.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

20

Utah Avalanche Fatalities 1958-Present

Date Deaths Sex Location Activity Skier Climber

Snow

boarder

Snow

mobiler

Other 

Recreation 

(snowshoe, 

hiker, hunter) Worker Resident

9-Mar-58 2 Males Snowbasin Rescuer 2

29-Mar-64 1 Male Snowbasin Worker 1

31-Dec-65 1 Male Park City In-bounds skier 1

12-Feb-67 2 Males Pharoah’s Glen Climbers 2

19-Feb-68 1 Male Rock Canyon Hiker 1

29-Jan-70 1 Male Alta In-bounds skier 1

29-Jan-73 1 Male Park West In-bounds skier 1

6-Jan-76 1 Male Alta Out of bounds skier 1

3-Mar-77 1 Male Snowbird In-bounds skier 1

19-Jan-79 1 Male Helper Worker 1

2-Apr-79 1 Male Lake Desolation Backcountry skier 1

11-Jan-80 1 Male Evergreen Ridge Out of bounds skier 1

1-Feb-81 1 Male Cardiff Hiker 1

1-Mar-81 1 Male Millcreek Backcountry skier 1

22-Mar-82 1 Male near Park West Backcountry skier 1

2-Jan-84 1 Male Superior Peak Backcountry skier 1

22-Feb-85 1 Male Near Powder Mountain Backcountry skier 1

19-Mar-85 1 Female Park City In-bounds wet slide 1

13-Nov-85 2 Males Sunset Peak Backcountry skiers 2

6-Jan-86 1 Male Provo Canyon Backcountry skier 1

17-Feb-86 1 Male Big Cottonwood Canyon Backcountry snowboarder 1

19-Feb-86 1 Male Alta In bounds skier 1

20-Nov-86 1 Male Sugarloaf, Alta Hiker in unopened area 1

15-Feb-87 1 Male Twin Lakes Reservoir Backcountry skier 1

25-Nov-89 1 Male Tony Grove Lake, Logan Backcountry skier 1

12-Feb-92 4 3-M/1-F Gold Basin, La Sal Mtns Backcountry vskiers 4

1-Apr-92 1 Male Mineral Basin, near Snowbird Backcountry skier 1

16-Jan-93 1 Male Sundance (closed area) Backcountry skier 1

25-Feb-93 1 Male Pinecrest, Emig. Cyn. Backcountry skier 1

3-Apr-93 1 Male Wolverine Cirque Backcountry skier 1

18-Feb-94 1 Male 10,420 Peak, B.C.C. Backcountry skier 1

7-Nov-94 1 Male Snowbird (pre-season) Backcountry skier 1

14-Jan-95 2 Males Ben Lomond, near Ogden Snowmobilers 2

23-Jan-95 1 Male Midway Resident killed in roof slide 1

12-Feb-95 1 Male Gobbler’s Knob, B.C.C. Backcountry skier 1

2-Feb-96 1 Male Solitude patroller Worker 1

27-Mar-96 1 Male Maybird Gulch, L.C.C. Backcountry skier 1

7-Dec-96 1 Male Bountiful Peak Snowmobiler 1

26-Dec-96 1 Male Flagstaff Peak Backcountry snowboarder 1

11-Jan-97 3 Males Logan Peak Three campers 3

25-Jan-97 1 Male Provo Canyon Climber 1

17-Jan-98 1 Male Near Coleville Snowmobiler 1

18-Jan-98 1 Male Sanpete County Snowmobiler 1

26-Feb-98 1 Male Near Weber State hiker (possible suicide) 1

7-Nov-98 1 Male Snowbird (pre-season) Snowboarder 1

2-Jan-99 2 Males Wasatch Plateau Snowboarders 2

29-Jan-99 1 Male Mt. Nebo Snowmobiler 1

6-Feb-99 1 Male Little Willow Canyon Hiker 1

Total 58

1958 season - Present 30 3 5 6 8 5 1

1990 season - Present 12 1 5 5 5 1 1

Shaded areas indicate greatest concentration of fatalities. Past 3 seasons 0 1 4 4 5 0 0

 56 Males, 2 Females
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

21

Date Location Details T riggered Caught

Partially 

Buried

T otally 

Buried Injured Killed

07-Nov W est Baldy 5 snowboarders caught, 1 killed, 1 injured 5 5 3 1 11

21-Nov Gobblers triggered sym pathetically 1

25-D ec Gobblers skier took ride 1 1

28-D ec Pow der P ark skier triggered 1

29-D ec Gobblers snow board triggered, grabbed tree 1 1

01-Jan W est Monitor skier triggered, got out 1 1

01-Jan Flagstaff 2 skier triggered slides 2

01-Jan Em m a 2 skier triggered 1

01-Jan C ardiff/Hellgate skier triggered 1

01-Jan East Hellgate skier triggered 1

02-Jan Fairview C anyon 2 snowboarders killed 22 2 2

04-Jan Flagstaff Gully 2 boarders partially buried 2 2

05-Jan Tri C ounty Peak 2 ob skiers caught, long ride, O K 2 2

05-Jan Snake C reek sym pathetic to skier 1

05-Jan C ardiff Fork skier triggered 1

17-Jan R aym ond shoulder triggered sym pathetically 1

18-Jan Pioneer ridge 4 caught, 3 partially buried, O K 4 4 3

18-Jan Garden C ity skier triggered 1

19-Jan Tim panogos sym pathetic to skier 1

19-Jan R eynolds P eak sym pathetic to skier 300' aw ay 1

19-Jan Providence C anyon Snow m obiler buried w ith hand out 1 1 1

20-Jan Millicent Peak natural, 5 caught, 2 partially buried 5 2

20-Jan Short Sw ing skier triggered from side 1

23-Jan Mt P leasant snow m obilers triggered several from ridge 4

24-Jan US A B ow l(far right) skier triggered 1

24-Jan W illow East B ranch skier caught, skied off slab 1 1

24-Jan D uchess D raw 4'-8'deep slab triggered w / cornice 1

24-Jan Near Brighton

6' deep slab triggered by boarder, escaped 

to side 1 1

26-Jan Millicent Back B ow l 1 skier totally buried, 1 partially 2 2 1 1

26-Jan R ed Pine/Maybird 1 skier caught, grabbed tree 1 1

29-Jan Mt Nebo 1 snowmobiler killed 11 1 1

29-Jan Gobblers Knob skier triggered, 4'-5' x 150' 1

30-Jan W indy P eak (Uinta) skier sym pathetic, 120 feet aw ay 1

30-Jan Snake C reek suspected snow m obile triggered 1

30-Jan C layton P eak snow m obile triggered 1

31-Jan C anyons Backcountry skier triggered 1

31-Jan Argenta skier triggered 1

01-Feb R ochester R idge several skier sym pathetic 3

06-Feb Little W illow C anyon 1 snow hiker killed 11 1 1

13-Feb Mineral Fork skier triggered, 40' above skier 1

14-Feb Sunset P eak snow boarder triggered 1

17-Feb Ski R esorts m any sensitive skier releases

19-Feb Near 9,990 snow boarder triggered 1

21-Feb O gden area m ountains ssnow boarder caught in sluff grabbed tree 1 1

27-Feb Manti C anyon 1 snow m obiler buried, 2 partially 3 3 2 1

10-Mar Kessler E ast skier triggered, post control 1

20-Mar Spring C anyon snow m obiler trig, buried,broken leg 1 1 1

01-Apr Meadow C hutes skier triggered, hurt shoulder 1 1 1

01-Apr C hablis B ow l skier triggered, grabbed tree 1 1

02-Apr W ood C am p (Logan) skier carried in w et slab 1 1

03-Apr Millicent Back B ow l snow boardes trigr. debris 4-5',all O K 1 1

05-Apr Prim rose C irque snow boarder took short ride 1 1

04-May Alta (closed for season) 11 people caught, several partial burials, 1 11 5 1

one tw isted knee

T otal 70 50 19 7 4 5

In cide n ts a n d A c cide n ts 9 8-9 9
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

22

Everyone who has used Utah’s backcountry over the past 20 years, and especially the past 5

years, has noticed a dramatic increase in not only the numbers of people, but the kind of activity

and the places where people have recreated. Back in the good-old days, wool-knickered,

telemark skiers and the helicopter skiing company had the backcountry pretty much to themselves.

There was plenty of room and the two groups shared the terrain relatively peacefully. Then, as

equipment improved more and more skiers flocked into the backcountry to take advantage of the

untracked (and free) powder and the easy access the Wasatch Range had to offer. More conflicts

erupted between the helicopter companies and backcountry skiers as they both were squeezed

into the same prime terrain in a relatively tiny mountain range.

Then, the new kids on the block showed up and changed everything. Snowmobiles suddenly

became much more powerful, lightweight and utilized very efficient traction systems. Snowmobile

sales have skyrocketed and snowmobile access to dangerous backcountry avalanche terrain has

increased ten or twenty-fold in ten years. Modern snowmobiles can cover 100 times as much

terrain in a day as a skier and they can go virtually any place a skier can.

The modern snowmobile has opened up vast amounts of backcountry terrain that only the

hardiest skiers could access just a few years earlier. Nearly all the mountains of Utah are now

snowmobile playgrounds where just ten years ago, they were nearly empty in winter. For instance,

the Monte Christo area east of Huntsville now has a parking lot as large as five football fields and

is regularly filled each weekend. With the exception of a relatively diminutive Cottonwood

Canyons area near Salt Lake City, snowmobiling is by far the most popular mode of backcountry

winter recreation throughout the state. Although we have no reliable numbers, we estimate that

throughout northern Utah perhaps twice as many snowmobilers are out during each weekend as

skiers, and for most of the rural areas there are virtually no skiers, only snowmobilers.

At the same time, young armies of snowboarders now march far into the backcountry and

compete with the skiers and helicopter companies for the same terrain. With the advent of the

modern snowshoes and the split-apart board, snowboarders now cover the same terrain as the

skiers, effectively doubling the amount of use in the easily accessible backcountry terrain,

especially in the Cottonwood Canyons near Salt Lake City.

And then, there’s the new sport of snowshoeing. Just a few years ago, you only saw

snowshoes crisscrossed above the fireplace. But the new lightweight, high-tech snowshoes now

allow anyone to go absolutely anywhere, and on many of the popular trails, especially near Salt

Lake City, you see many more snowshoers than skiers.

We have certainly seen a huge shift in the patterns avalanche fatalities as well. Skier

avalanche fatalities have dropped dramatically in the past few years, and these numbers are

reflected nationally as well. Since 1994, only 14 percent of the U.S. avalanche fatalities have

been skiers with 35 percent snowmobilers. And in the past three years only seven percent have

been skiers with an astounding 40 percent snowmobilers. The last skier fatality in Utah was in

1996 (see table and charts). There has also been a corresponding increase in fatalities of

snowboarders, snowshoers and hikers.

And the geography of avalanche fatalities has changed as well. Ten years ago when we

plotted all the avalanche deaths on a map, nearly all of them fell within the Mill Creek and

Cottonwood Canyons near Salt Lake City. Of the past 11 avalanche fatalities in Utah, only two

Changing Patterns of Backcountry Use

The rise of snowmobiling, snowboarding and snowshoeing and the changing

geography of avalanche accidents.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

23

have been in the Salt Lake area mountains, the others have all been in rural areas of Utah—in

obscure places we often had to look up on the map and still didn’t exactly know how to get there.

Times have changed. And the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center has changed along with

them. Instead of catering exclusively to hard-core backcountry skiers in the Salt Lake-area

Mountains, we now spend an increasing amount of our field time in snowmobile terrain. About

half our avalanche classes are tailored to snowmobile groups and even the traditionally skierattended talks at REI are now filled with just as many snowboarders and showshoers as skiers.

We have abandoned the long-winded and technical 5-minute telephone advisory—used mostly by

hard-core backcountry skiers. We have, instead, shifted our resources to the user-friendlier State

Snowmobile Hotline, radio and the Internet. We don’t like to cut services in one area in order to

add services in another, but without additional funding we have no choice but to spend the

resources where they will save the most lives.

The real solution, of course, is more money. Use of UAFC products continues to increase

exponentially each year as our funding remains relatively constant. Luckily we have some

Olympic funding which has helped to temporarily fill the void, but the real answer is for a

dramatic—and long term—increase in funding. Otherwise, we will continue to fall farther behind

and avalanche fatalities will continue to increase. Snowmobilers Snowboarders Misc Recreation

Climbers

Skiers

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Number of Fatalities

U.S. Avalanche Fatalities 1997-99

In the past three seasons in the U.S., snowmobilers account for more than twice as many avalanche fatalities

as any other activity. During the 80’s and early 90’s, skiers led the list but in the past three seasons, skiers

account for only seven percent of the national total. No skiers have been killed in Utah for the past three

seasons.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

24

Date Staff Event No. people

30-Sep Tremper ISSW 200

30-Oct Tremper U of U W x W orkshop 100

17-Nov Shaw Black Diam ond, SLC 100

18-Nov Shaw,Bodily Black Diam ond, Ogden 100

1-Dec Staff REI 275

3-Dec Ciliberti U of U 25

3-Dec Tremper REI beacon clinic 20

4-Dec Tremper Kirkham s 15

8-Dec Tremper USFS Bozem an clinic 20

9-Dec Jenkins/Hebertson/Logan USU Basic Avalanche 12

15-Dec Staff REI 275

15-Dec Kim brough AAI 30

24-Dec Felix USFS Manti-La Sal NF 30

7-Jan Tremper Sundance/Uinta F.S. 15

7-Jan Felix Moab public 11

8-Jan Felix Moab public 17

8-Jan Jenkins/Engelhard Brighton Basic Avalanche 13

9-Jan Felix Moab public Geyser Pass 15

9-Jan Athey,Clapier Beacon Clinic 15

12-Jan Tremper Ogden Snowm obile Club 60

13-Jan Lees Tim p Snowm obile Club 30

15-Jan Jenkins/Heberson Rescue Dog W orkshop - Brighton 8

16-Jan Athey, staff Avalanche W orkshop 26

19-Jan Jenkins/Hebertson Basic Avalanche - Montpilier, ID 43

20-Jan Jenkins/Hebertson Basic Avalanche - Soda Springs, ID 78

20-Jan Felix USFS Ephraim RD 8

20-Jan Felix Sanpete County SAR 18

21-Jan Jenkins/Hebertson Basic Avalanche - Pocatello, ID 6

22-Jan Hebertson/Logan USU Basic Avalanche 14

26-Jan Kim brough Judge High School 150

29-Jan Felix Price UT public 21

31-Jan Jenkins/Trem per/Ciliberti Natl. Ski Patrol Advanced Class 52

2-Feb Hebertson/McAvoy Basic Avalanche - Am erican Falls, ID 45

6-Feb Felix Boy Scouts 50

9-Feb Felix Moab info Center 8

12-Feb Jenkins Advanced class - Teton Pass W Y 6

15-Feb Felix Boy Scouts Leadership Team

18-Feb Tremper North Face Camp 20

19-Feb Jenkins Peterson Equipm ent - Logan 20

20-Feb Hebertson Boy Scouts - Morgan, UT 18

? Hebertson Logan Middle School 20

22-Feb Tremper U.S.F.S. Rangers 100

24-Feb Tremper U.S.F.S. Rangers 100

25-Feb Shaw North Face Camp 22

26-Feb Tremper AK Mtn Safety Center 35

3-Mar Kim brough Kam as Sno-Mo Club 15

3-Mar Jenkins Basic Avalanche - Powder Mt. 43

5-Mar Hebertson Peterson Equipm ent - Logan 20

11-Mar Trem per Morgan County SAR 35

15-Mar Kim brough Alta Gram m ar School 50

16-Mar Felix

Utah Parks and Rec Annual Meet - St. 

George 20

Total 2429

50 Classes

UAFC Avalanche Education 1998-99
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

25

We have known for years that very few of the people killed in avalanches in Utah have ever

called the UAFC hotline before heading out. Because of this, it’s important to reach the large

numbers of relatively avalanche-unaware people heading into the backcountry. Since we operate

on such a modest budget, the media is the only practical way to reach large numbers of people

who are out of the avalanche information loop.

Once again, UAFC staff were featured prominently in the media. Program director, Bruce

Tremper was interviewed by two international television documentaries, which will play on the

Discovery Channel and on PBS. In addition, several other documentaries filmed in previous years

continue to see air time. In total, UAFC staff appeared on two national TV documentaries, and

provided information or were interviewed by eleven national television programs, 7 national

newspaper and magazines, 8 local television programs, 5 local radio shows and 12 local print

media.

While we continued to respond to as many media inquires as possible, this winter, media

contacts were down from previous seasons for two reasons: first, due to a lack of funding, we lost

our information assistant, so many callers ended up talking to an answering machine rather than a

person. Secondly, with less afternoon office staffing, afternoon media requests were often not

answered until the next morning, which lacked the necessary timeliness.

As you would guess, the catastrophic avalanches in Europe caused huge interest in

avalanches in the news media on both sides of the Atlantic. Every avalanche tragedy in the Alps

spawned calls from news agencies from Nephi to England. The Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

became an important information resource for both the national and local news media during this

tragic series of events.

Media Contacts
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

26

Date Staff Agency Subject

Naional 

Television 

Interview

National 

Television 

Information 

requests

National 

Print 

Media

Local 

Television 

Interviews

Local 

Radio 

Interviews

Local Print 

Interviews

1

28-Nov Lees K-Talk Radio Avy awareness 1

21-Nov Lees U of U TV Avy awareness 1

10-Nov Kimbrough SL Tribune Avy fatality 1

11-Nov Kimbrough SL Tribune Avy fatality 1

12-Nov Tremper Local radio Avy fatality

30-Nov Tremper Assoc Press Fund raising 1

01-Dec Felix Channel 6 Moab Open for season 1

03-Dec Felix Moab Times-Independent Open for season 1

15-Dec Tremper Discovery Channel Avalanches 1

21-Dec Kimbrough Tooele paper Avy danger 1

30-Dec Felix Moab Times-Independent Avy Awareness Week 1

01-Jan Felix Moab Happenings Avy Awareness Week 1

04-Jan Shaw KSL radio Avy awareness 1

04-Jan Shaw KSL TV Avy awareness 1

07-Jan Felix Channel 6 Moab Avy Awareness Week 1

13-Jan Tremper Assoc Press Funding 1

20-Jan Tremper Fox 13 News - on camera Avy warning 1

25-Jan Tremper KBYU TV - on camera Olympics 1

26-Jan Shaw Park Record Current conditions 1

26-Jan Kimbrough SL Tribune Current conditions 1

01-Feb Shaw Tooele Mt Nebo Fatality 1

07-Feb Shaw SL Tribune Current conditions 1

08-Feb Kimbrough Fox TV News Current conditions 1

08-Feb Shaw Ski News TV Current conditions 1

09-Feb Shaw NBC News General aval info 1

16-Feb Shaw CBS News General aval info 1

16-Feb Tremper

Granada TV national 

documentary - on camera General aval info 1

16-Feb Shaw Cyberwest mag U.A.F.C. 1

17-Feb Tremper BYU newspaper Avalanche awareness 1

17-Feb Tremper Ski Utah TV Avalanche awareness 1

17-Feb Tremper Washington Times Avalanche awareness 1

17-Feb Tremper CBS Video footage 1

17-Feb Tremper NBC Video footage 1

25-Feb Lees NBC European avalanches 1

26-Feb Lees K-talk radio European avalanches 1

26-Feb Lees MS NBC European/US avalanches 1

28-Feb Felix CNN.com Avi awareness info for broadcast 1

01-Mar Felix Mining Company.com “Best of the Net” award 1

15-Mar Tremper History Channel General aval info 1

16-Mar Kimbrough Wall St. Journal General aval info 1

16-Mar Kimbrough Snowmobile magazine General aval info 1

17-Mar Tremper S.L. Tribune Avalanche rescue 1

08-Apr Kimbrough New York Times General aval info 1

18-May Tremper Discovery Channel Info on avalanche research 1

30-May Tremper Nash Entertainment TV Avalanche Information 1

Total 2 11 7 8 5 12

45 Total Contacts

UAFC Media Contacts 1998-99 
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

27

Observation numbers are down this year but not because of a lack of diligence on the part

of our volunteer team. Dry conditions for the first half of the winter accounts for the decrease.

Low avalanche danger during much of November, December and the first half of January made

backcountry reports rather redundant. With the thin snow cover, skis and boards suffered plenty

of damage and touring partners were sometimes hard to find. Utah’s fabled powder was just that.

When snowfall finally arrived and avalanche conditions became more interesting, observation

numbers increased accordingly.

This is not to say that our observers weren’t out there during the dry spell. They were still

gouging their P-tex on a regular basis but the need for observations was a little less.

New members to the team this year were Todd Leeds and Tom Moyer. Both contributed

much to the operation. Eric Trenbeath was in Central America for most of the winter but after his

return in March he began regular reporting.

Brad Bodily conducted two avalanche classes for Weber State University this winter. Bob

Athey and Bruce Englehard were instructors at the Friends of the Forecast Center’s three-day

workshop.

Bob Athey is the backbone of the backcountry observation program. He is out most days

during the winter. His message on the answering machine often clarifies the forecaster’s thinking

at 5:00 a.m. His inquiring mind and powerful legs are essential to our operation. As he is paid

directly by the FUAFC his observations are not tabulated below.

The return for each dollar paid to these people represents about an hour’s time for a highly

trained and experienced winter mountaineer. Their dedication to the safety of all backcountry

travelers is greatly appreciated by our entire staff.

Observers paid by the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

Observer Observations Cost

Scott Burch 19 $190

Joey Dempster 16 $160

Greg Gagne 15 $150

Craig Gordon 34 $340

Todd Leeds 33 $330

Tom Moyer 23 $230

Eric Trenbeath 5 $50

Shawn Wagner 23 $230

Total 168 $1,680

Volunteer Observer Program
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

28

Observers paid by Forest Service

Brad Bodily 10 $100

Greg Dolhausen 24 $240

Bruce Englehard 12 $120

Rip Griffith 21 $252

Phil Lowry 26 $260

Brian Smith 3 $30

Total 96 $1,002

Grand Total 264 $2,682

Budget

Avalanche forecasting in Utah is the epitome of a successful partnership. Although the

Utah Avalanche Forecast Center is a Forest Service program, statewide, only 24 percent of the

money come from Forest Service base operating funds and only 21 percent in the Wasatch. The

rest of the money comes from private, state and county funding. Most of the entities that benefit

from avalanche forecasting contribute to the cause, such as private citizens, the State of Utah,

Salt Lake County and Utah State Parks (see graph on page 31). Some Forest Service Olympic

funds also go to increased UAFC staffing to begin “ramping up” for the Olympic Games and this

money is not considered as part of the Forest Service base funding.

Future:

Although most every Forest Service program would like more funding, it’s clear that

demands of UAFC services continue to increase much faster than funding. For instance, most

avalanche fatalities used to occur almost exclusively in the Salt Lake area mountains, and in

recent years they have become more equally distributed throughout all the mountains of Utah,

mostly because of the huge increase in snowmobiling. Another forecaster is desperately needed

in the Wasatch Plateau and ideally there should be a full time forecaster in both the Logan and the

Uinta area mountains. We would like to find funding for these positions but there are no good

prospects at this time. As usual, fundraising is nearly a full time job and we must balance our time

with job number one—providing public avalanche information and avalanche education.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

29

Wasatch (Ogden, Salt Lake, Park City, Provo)

Where the Money Comes From 

Forest Service Base Operating Funds 31,000

FUAFC Funds (independent of Forest 

Service) 20,000

State of Utah Comprehensive Emerg. Mgt. 25,000

Forest Service 2002 Funds 21,000

FUAFC * 20,000

Salt Lake County 20,000

State Parks Snowmobile Funds 10,000

Total Funds to Forest Service 127,000

Total Wasatch 147,000

Where The Money Goes

Forest Service Expenditures FUAFC Expenditures

Staff Salary and Benefits 94,995

FUAFC Direct Expenditures (independent of 

Forest Service) 20,000

Deficit from FY 98 (State payment failure) 9,000

Telephones 7,510

Equipment and Supplies 4,500

Travel 4,000

Printing 2,000

Stickers and Posters 2,000

Observers 1,002

Contract Computer Programming 1,000

Training 1,000

Total Forest Service Expenditures 127,007 20,000

Total Wasatch Expenditures 147,007

In-Kind Support

National Weather Service (office space, 

computers, telephone, weather forecasting) 40,000

Park City Ski Area (avalanche hotline 

distribution on telephone system) 1,000

Weber State University (avalanche hotline 

distribution on telephone system) 1,000

BYU (avalanche hotline distribution on 

telephone system) 1,000

Utah State Parks (avalanche hotline 

distribution on telephone system) 1,000

Total 44,000

* Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center which is a private, non-profit group that raises funds for avalanche forecasting and 

avalanche education in Utah
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

30

Logan Avalanche Center (Wellsville and Bear River Ranges and southeast Idaho)

Where the Money Comes From 

FUAFC * Utah State University

FUAFC (Salt Lake Chapter) 6,000 USU Salary Release for Mike Jenkins 10,000

FUAFC (Logan Chapter) 475 Utah State University (IORT) 5,000

Avalanche Course Income 705

Caryover 1,373

Subtotal 8,553 15,000

Total Logan budget 23,553

Where The Money Goes

Utah State University Expenditures FUAFC Expenditures

Salary for Mike Jenkins 10,000

Salary for Liz Hebertson 2,500 1,800

Salary for Bruce Engelhard 2,100

Salary for Darren McAvoy 1,400

Salary for Spencer Logan 1,500

Telephone 210 43

Computer 200

Meetings 897 652

Weather Station 1,659 326

Supplies 70 155

Subtotal 17,036 6,476

Total Logan Expenditures 23,512

* FUAFC = Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center, a private, non-profit group
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

31

La Sal Avalanche Center (Moab area)

Where the Money Comes From 

Forest Service Base Operating Funds 13,364

FLSAFC Funds (independent of Forest 

Service) * 3,474

Total La Sal budget 16,838

Where The Money Goes

Forest Service Expenditures FLSAFC Expenditures

Staff Salary and Benefits 10,352

FLSAFC Expenditures (independent of 

Forest Service) 3,474

Vehicle 1,646

Travel 995

Total Forest Service Expenditures 11,998

Total La Sal Expenditures 15,472

* FLSAFC = Friends of the Lasal Avalanche Forecast Center, a private, non-profit group and branch of the Salt Lake FU

Wasatch

Total Advisory Access vs. 

Forest Service Base Funds

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Winter

Access / Dollars

Total Advidory Access

Forest Service Base Funds

For the Wasatch, although Forest Service base funding has droped over the past 10 years, demands for

services have skyrocketed. The formation of funding partnerships has made up for the shortfall.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

32

Private (via FUAFC)

Forest Service Base Operating Funds

State of Utah Comprehensive Emerg. Mgt.

Forest Service 2002 Funds

Salt Lake County

Utah State University

State Parks Snowmobile Funds

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

Total Utah Funding

Total Utah Funding

Private (via FUAFC) 50,000

Forest Service Base Operating Funds 44,364

State of Utah Comprehensive Emerg. Mgt. 25,000

Forest Service 2002 Funds 21,000

Salt Lake County 20,000

Utah State University 17,036

State Parks Snowmobile Funds 10,000

Utah Total 187,400
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

33

Appendix

Monthly Calls to UAFC advisory in Salt Lake City

Year NovemberDecemberJanuary February March April Total

1979-80 714 1,514 4,274 2,967 3,389 1,313 14,171

1980-81 2,200 4,800 6,257 7,277 6,887 3,135 30,556

1981-82 1,761 6,879 8,522 5,485 6,361 3,416 32,424

1982-83 2,741 6,804 7,614 7,731 9,911 5,339 40,140

1983-84 3,216 10,708 7,073 7,032 5,983 4,393 38,405

1984-85 2,827 5,704 5,260 8,399 7,122 3,021 32,333

1985-86 4,119 4,703 6,298 10,628 6,225 3,706 35,679

1986-87 3,902 3,911 10,022 8,201 8,364 3,406 37,806

1987-88 2,646 7,235 11,296 8,080 10,196 4,186 43,639

1988-89 7,229 13,390 10,031 11,285 10,552 4,048 56,536

1989-90 4,651 9,204 17,049 15,120 13,072 4,747 63,843

1990-91 7,250 14,766 15,986 11,080 16,359 7,455 72,896

1991-92 12,670 9,365 11,970 17,396 15,200 5,799 72,399

1992-93 17,621 17,622 19,421 17,676 12,651 6,369 91,358

1993-94 6,663 12,251 19,743 22,517 14,615 9,281 85,072

1994-95 13,310 16,442 24,414 18,170 18,838 12,647 103,821

1995-96 7,685 16,785 29,074 22,398 16,189 9,338 101,469

1996-97 15,689 23,769 28,431 18,537 15,998 10,645 113,069

1997-98 9,529 16,672 27,407 25,453 17,746 9,464 106,267

1998-99 10,402 14,932 15,805 18,344 11,414 5,982 78,391

Average 

1994-99 11,323 17,720 25,026 20,580 16,037 9,615 100,603

November December January February March April

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

Average number of calls to UAFC advisory 1994-99
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

34

Year

SLC

3-minute

SLC

5-minute

Total Salt 

Lake 

Telephone

Logan 

Telephone

Ogden 

Telephone

Provo 

Telephone

Park City 

Telephone

Alta

Telephone

State Snowmobile 

Hotline

Moab 

Telephone Total Calls

77 6,522 6,522 0 6,522

78 11,258 11,258 0 11,258

79 9,924 9,924 0 9,924

80 14,469 14,469 0 14,469

81 30,736 30,736 0 30,736

82 33,099 33,099 0 33,099

83 40,355 40,355 4,357 1,890 3,671 3,042 0 53,315

84 39,647 39,647 5,300 2,725 4,076 2,577 0 54,325

85 32,476 32,476 4,652 1,706 2,276 2,386 0 43,496

86 36,535 36,535 5,469 5,464 2,292 2,562 0 52,322

87 38,841 38,841 4,693 2,587 2,518 2,121 0 50,760

88 39,614 4,020 43,634 4,000 2,500 2,500 2,500 0 55,134

89 48,488 8,033 56,521 4,000 2,500 2,500 2,500 1,100 69,121

90 52,898 10,947 63,845 4,000 2,500 2,500 3,000 1,693 77,538

91 62,814 10,160 72,974 4,000 2,500 2,500 3,000 2,811 87,785

92 62,429 9,970 72,399 4,000 2,500 2,500 3,000 3,216 87,615

93 79,248 12,136 91,384 3,676 3,034 3,134 3,419 2,763 107,410

94 71,880 13,204 85,084 4,110 3,500 2,610 3,663 3,000 101,967

95 90,052 13,770 103,822 4,879 3,746 3,000 3,640 2,842 121,929

96 89,965 11,529 101,494 3,729 2,744 2,813 3,338 1,794 115,912

97 113,069 113,069 5,215 3,000 3,000 4,000 4,000 1,056 133,340

98 106,267 8,579 106,267 5,797 3,000 3,000 7,000 7,000 5,000 2,000 139,064

99 78,391 0 78,391 3,950 3,500 3,000 5,680 8,000 5,000 2,000 109,521

Year Moab hits

Salt Lake 

NWS hits

Salt Lake 

CSAC hits

Total 

Advidory 

Access 

telephone 

+ internet

Mountain 

Weather 

NWS Hits

Mountain 

Weather 

CSAC Hits

Total UAFC 

Product 

Access

77 6,522

78 11,258 11,258

79 9,924 9,924

80 14,469 14,469

81 30,736 30,736

82 33,099 33,099

83 53,315 53,315

84 54,325 54,325

85 43,496 43,496

86 52,322 52,322

87 50,760 50,760

88 55,134 55,134

89 69,121 69,121

90 77,538 77,538

91 87,785 87,785

92 87,615 87,615

93 107,410 107,410

94 101,967 101,967

95 121,929 121,929

96 115,912 115,912

97 ? ? ? 133,340 ? ? 133,340

98 3,500 50,000 15,000 207,564 ? ? 207,564

99 4,559 108,948 23,148 246,176 113,139 9,489 368,804

Telephone Access

Internet Access

Numbers which look like rounded

numbers are estimates of call

counts based either on previous

years when call counters were

installed or on spot checks during

the season. The advisory and

the mountain weather forecast

are posted on the National

Weather Service Internet server

in Salt Lake City. The Internet

hits listed are the total number of

times the product was accessed.

We have also listed hits on

Cyberspace Snow and Avalanche

Center (CSAC) which is probably

the most popular “proxy server”

meaning that they re-package the

advisory and mountain weather

forecast and post it on their own

web page to make it look like

their own product.
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

35

A v a la n c h e In c id e n ts in U ta h 1 9 5 1 -P re s e n t

S easo n T rig g ered C au g h t P artly B u ried T o tally B u ried K illed

5 1 0

5 2 0

5 3 0

5 4 0

5 5 0

5 6 0

5 7 0

5 8 2

5 9 0

6 0 0

6 1 0

6 2 0

6 3 0

6 4 1

6 5 0

6 6 1

6 7 2

6 8 1

6 9 0

7 0 1

7 1 0

7 2 0

7 3 1

7 4 0

7 5 0

7 6 1

7 7 1

7 8 0

7 9 2

8 0 1

8 1 2

8 2 1

8 3 0

8 4 1

85 79 39 15 6 3

86 66 27 12 5 5

87 50 18 6 3 2

88 39 6 1 1 0

89 64 9 1 0 0

90 65 34 14 2 0

91 46 19 7 1 0

92 76 27 14 9 5

93 65 29 9 5 3

94 74 42 5 3 1

95 79 31 7 9 5

96 51 15 3 2 2

97 84 62 37 9 6

98 96 57 17 8 3

99 70 50 19 7 5

Total 1004 465 167 70 58

T otal 85-

p resent 2004 926 334 140 39
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

36

S e ason N ov . D e c. Jan. Fe b. M ar. Apr. T otal

1944-45 --- 57.0 19.5 67.0 --- 57.0

1945-46 109.0 83.0 84.5 50.0 69.0 55.5 451.0

1946-47 69.0 63.0 61.0 53.0 68.0 60.0 374.0

1947-48 118.0 80.0 46.0 66.0 165.0 74.0 549.0

1948-49 71.0 160.0 132.0 58.0 97.0 5.0 523.0

1949-50 39.0 137.0 133.0 34.0 109.0 25.0 477.0

1950-51 60.0 66.0 112.0 58.0 53.0 0.0 349.0

1951-52 67.0 156 115.0 105.0 163.0 35.0 641.0

1952-53 44.0 65.0 112.0 40.0 93.0 57.0 411.0

1953-54 50.0 107.0 54.0 57.0 101.0 14.0 383.0

1954-55 37.0 53.0 134.0 129.0 60.0 59.0 472.0

1955-56 86.0 112.0 103.0 72.0 33.0 54.0 460.0

1956-57 36.0 50.0 86.0 41.0 97.0 76.0 386.0

1957-58 74.0 79.5 83.5 131.5 80.0 111.0 559.5

1958-59 38.0 47.5 81.0 107.0 84.5 28.0 386.0

1959-60 22.0 39.5 59.0 155.0 92.0 28.0 395.5

1960-61 75.0 40.0 1.0 62.0 113.0 35.0 326.0

1961-62 46.0 82.5 86.0 110.0 35.0 42.0 401.5

1962-63 31.0 17.0 85.0 39.0 93.0 136.0 401.0

1963-64 55.0 53.0 108.0 68.0 183.0 99.0 566.0

1964-65 95.0 141.0 150.0 66.0 44.0 77.0 573.0

1965-66 69.0 69.0 73.0 103.0 70.0 49.0 433.0

1966-67 53.0 84.0 168.0 72.0 61.0 106.0 544.0

1967-68 22.0 131.0 39.0 84.0 70.0 133.5 479.5

1968-69 87.5 132.6 113.0 148.0 35.0 50.0 566.1

1969-70 56.0 70.0 103.5 60.5 79.0 90.0 459.0

1970-71 79.0 142.0 58.0 73.5 87.0 42.0 481.5

1971-72 64.5 159.0 94.5 45.0 47.0 56.6 466.6

1972-73 ---- 122.0 64.5 77.0 124.0 109.0 496.5

1973-74 90.9 128.2 104.5 91.0 45.0 136.0 595.6

1974-75 25.5 146.5 104.0 88.0 151.0 90.0 605.0

1975-76 94.0 67.0 74.5 69.0 93.0 42.0 439.5

1976-77 13.5 17.0 50.5 73.5 129.0 31.0 314.5

1977-78 53.0 106.5 99.5 92.5 85.0 88.0 524.5

1978-79 62.5 96.0 78.5 86.0 71.0 94.0 588.0

1979-80 79.5 27.0 143.0 112.5 123.0 29.0 514.0

1980-81 40.0 34.0 73.0 82.0 110.0 52.0 391.0

1981-82 47.0 184.0 143.0 85.0 164.0 73.0 696.0

1982-83 66.0 165.0 75.5 68.0 150.0 112.5 637.0

1983-84 143.5 244.5 42.0 104.0 85.0 124.5 743.5

1984-85 112.5 105.0 44.0 61.5 99.5 34.5 457.0

1985-86 132.0 62.0 56.0 112.7 100.0 135.7 599.0

1986-87 73.0 12.3 96.0 73.0 104.0 23.5 381.8

1987-88 30.0 91.0 105.1 39.75 115.5 29.0 410.3

1988-89 172.5 124.5 70.75 97.5 64.75 52.0 581.5

1989-90 76.0 49.0 107.5 100.5 84.0 31.0 448.0

1990-91 109.5 91.0 82.8 49.7 110.9 136.3 580.2

1991-92 133.4 57.2 41.8 85 50.1 27.5 395.0

1992-93 118.8 119.2 165.3 102.9 63.0 81.2 650.4

1993-94 40.7 64.85 122.7 134.05 47.2 80.8 490.3

1994-95 205.9 73.8 199.7 56.3 128.9 80.7 745.4

1995-96 57 53 187 104 82 79 562

1996-97 78.3 164.8 141.5 91 53.8 69.7 599.1

1997-98 46.3 81.8 128.9 156.6 92.3 69 574.9

1998-99 76.5 43.1 105.3 98 46.5 89 458.4

Av e rage 72.3 91.0 96.0 82.9 89.9 66.6 499.9

M aximum 244.5 199.7 155 156.6 136.3 745.4 0

Year of M ax 94 83 95 97 64 91 95

Snow fall at Alta 1945 - Present
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

37

Alta November - April Snowfall

0.0

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

800.0

464850525456586062646668707274767880828486889092949698

Winter

Inches of Snowfall

Average
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

38

Utah Avalanche Fatalities- 1950-present

Date Deaths Sex Location Activity Skier Climber

Snow

boarder

Snow

mobiler

Other 

Recreation 

(snowshoe, 

hiker, hunter) Worker Resident

9-Mar-58 2 Males Snowbasin Rescuer 2

29-Mar-64 1 Male Snowbasin Worker 1

31-Dec-65 1 Male Park City In-bounds skier 1

12-Feb-67 2 Males Pharoah’s Glen Climbers 2

19-Feb-68 1 Male Rock Canyon Hiker 1

29-Jan-70 1 Male Alta In-bounds skier 1

29-Jan-73 1 Male Park West In-bounds skier 1

6-Jan-76 1 Male Alta Out of bounds skier 1

3-Mar-77 1 Male Snowbird In-bounds skier 1

19-Jan-79 1 Male Helper Worker 1

2-Apr-79 1 Male Lake Desolation Backcountry skier 1

11-Jan-80 1 Male Evergreen Ridge Out of bounds skier 1

1-Feb-81 1 Male Cardiff Hiker 1

1-Mar-81 1 Male Millcreek Backcountry skier 1

22-Mar-82 1 Male near Park West Backcountry skier 1

2-Jan-84 1 Male Superior Peak Backcountry skier 1

22-Feb-85 1 Male Near Powder Mountain Backcountry skier 1

19-Mar-85 1 Female Park City In-bounds wet slide 1

13-Nov-85 2 Males Sunset Peak Backcountry skiers 2

6-Jan-86 1 Male Provo Canyon Backcountry skier 1

17-Feb-86 1 Male Big Cottonwood Canyon Backcountry snowboarder 1

19-Feb-86 1 Male Alta In bounds skier 1

20-Nov-86 1 Male Sugarloaf, Alta Hiker in unopened area 1

15-Feb-87 1 Male Twin Lakes Reservoir Backcountry skier 1

25-Nov-89 1 Male Tony Grove Lake, Logan Backcountry skier 1

12-Feb-92 4 3-M/1-F Gold Basin, La Sal Mtns Backcountry vskiers 4

1-Apr-92 1 Male Mineral Basin, near Snowbird Backcountry skier 1

16-Jan-93 1 Male Sundance (closed area) Backcountry skier 1

25-Feb-93 1 Male Pinecrest, Emig. Cyn. Backcountry skier 1

3-Apr-93 1 Male Wolverine Cirque Backcountry skier 1

18-Feb-94 1 Male 10,420 Peak, B.C.C. Backcountry skier 1

7-Nov-94 1 Male Snowbird (pre-season) Backcountry skier 1

14-Jan-95 2 Males Ben Lomond, near Ogden Snowmobilers 2

23-Jan-95 1 Male Midway Resident killed in roof slide 1

12-Feb-95 1 Male Gobbler’s Knob, B.C.C. Backcountry skier 1

2-Feb-96 1 Male Solitude patroller Worker 1

27-Mar-96 1 Male Maybird Gulch, L.C.C. Backcountry skier 1

7-Dec-96 1 Male Bountiful Peak Snowmobiler 1

26-Dec-96 1 Male Flagstaff Peak Backcountry snowboarder 1

11-Jan-97 3 Males Logan Peak Three campers 3

25-Jan-97 1 Male Provo Canyon Climber 1

17-Jan-98 1 Male Near Coleville Snowmobiler 1

18-Jan-98 1 Male Sanpete County Snowmobiler 1

26-Feb-98 1 Male Near Weber State hiker (possible suicide) 1

7-Nov-98 1 Male Snowbird (pre-season) Snowboarder 1

2-Jan-99 2 Males Wasatch Plateau Snowboarders 2

29-Jan-99 1 Male Mt. Nebo Snowmobiler 1

6-Feb-99 1 Male Little Willow Canyon Hiker 1

Total 58

1958 season - Present 30 3 5 6 8 5 1

1990 season - Present 12 1 5 5 5 1 1

Shaded areas indicate greatest concentration of fatalities. Past 3 seasons 0 1 4 4 5 0 0

 56 Males, 2 Females
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

39

U.S. Avalanche Fatalities by Activity

Year 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Total 

86-99

Total 

94-99

Total

97-99

Snowmobilers 0 2 0 0 1 2 2 2 9 7 5 6 14 12 62 53 32

Climbers 2 6 2 0 0 3 7 3 2 6 9 6 3 1 50 27 10

Backcountry Skiers 7 2 6 2 2 2 7 9 2 7 6 0 0 3 55 18 3

Out of Bounds Skiers 1 8 0 2 3 0 4 5 0 0 1 0 1 2 27 4 3

In Bounds Skiers 20000000000000 2 0 0

Backcountry Snowboarders 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 3 1 4 7 20 16 12

Out of Bounds Snowboarders 00000001021003 7 6 3

Misc Recreation 0 3 0 0 1 1 2 4 0 1 2 7 4 4 29 18 15

Patrollers 20010001011000 6 2 0

Motorists/Highway workers 00000011010000 3 1 0

Residents 10010000021000 5 3 0

Others at work 10000011001201 7 4 3

Total 17 21 8 6 8 8 24 29 13 28 30 22 26 33 273 152 81

Year 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Snowmobilers 0 2 0 0 1 2 2 2 9 7 5 6 14 12 62 53 32

Climbers 2 6 2 0 0 3 7 3 2 6 9 6 3 1 50 27 10

Skiers 10 10 6 4 5 2 11 14 2 7 7 0 1 5 84 22 6

Snowboarders 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 3 4 1 4 10 27 22 15

Misc Recreation 0 3 0 0 1 1 2 4 0 1 2 7 4 4 29 18 15

Others at work 10000011001201 7 4 3

Residents 10010000021000 5 3 0

Patrollers 20010001011000 6 2 0

Motorists/Highway workers 00000011010000 3 1 0

Total 17 21 8 6 8 8 24 29 13 28 30 22 26 33 273 152 81

Activity (detailed catagories)

Activity (condensed catagories)
Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Annual Report - 1998-99

40

U.S. Fatalities by State 

STATE 85-86 86-87 87-88 88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99

Last 14 

Winters

Last 8 

Winters

Last 3 

Winters

CO 4 11 5 4 4 6 9 12 1 9 7 1 6 6 85 51 13

AK 0 6 2 0 1 1 2 7 2 6 8 4 3 13 55 45 20

UT 5 2 0 0 1 0 5 3 1 5 2 6 2 5 37 29 13

MT 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 6 3 3 1 7 2 28 24 10

CA 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 10 7 2

WA 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 5 2 4 17 14 11

WY 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 2 15 13 5

ID 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 3 3 0 12 11 6

OR 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 010 5 4 1

NV 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 000 2 1 0

NH 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 000 4 3 0

NY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 000 1 1 0

AZ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 000 1 1 0

NM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 000 1 1 0

Total 17 21 8 6 8 8 24 29 13 28 30 22 26 33 273 205 81