PARK CITY AVALANCHE INFO
As fellow ski bums we all aspire to traverse the upper slopes and experience the best alpine skiing conditions in the world. We all dream of those crested banks of summit snow shimmering in the Utah sun. Before we know it, we're swooshing down the hill and enjoying the rush of the ice-cold wind against our face. We stop to revel in the spectacular view. We navigate a few back trails away from the ski resort and maybe cut a few virgin ones. And then it comes. Unexpected, like a rushing wave of sea crashing over beached rocks and looming disaster on the unsuspecting. All the same, avalanches on top mountains can take us by surprise. But don't let the chance that a Park City avalanche might spoil your fun in the high country. Just knowing what to look out for, and what to do in the event of an avalanche could prevent your vacation from coming to a screeching and disastrous halt.
Park City avalanches are nothing to bargain with. They occur in areas of some of the steeper slopes. Being prepared in the event of such disaster could be your ticket to a safe return from the best snow on earth. What causes these calamities of nature is this: heavy or dense snowfall mounting on an unstable snow base. But skiing the backcountry with caution and using proper equipment can be your best prevention.
While only one death due to a Park City avalanche has occurred since 1950, a total of 82 people have died in Utah as a result of a monstrous bank of snow tumbling down the mountainside.
According to the Utah Avalanche Center, dry slab avalanches, which account
for almost all avalanche deaths, typically travel 60-80 miles an hour and
can reach these speeds within about 5 seconds after they break away. Traveling
much slower, wet avalanches tumble down mountains at a modest 20 miles per
hour.
Dry slab avalanches are caused by a break in a weak layer beneath the slab
due to too much additional weight being added too quickly – such as
sudden, additional snowfall coupled with the weight of a person. Ninety percent
of avalanche accidents are caused by the weight of the victim. Wet slab avalanches
on the other hand occur when water dissolves bonds between the snow grains,
decreasing the strength of the buried weak layer. However the most common
cause of avalanches is wind erosion.
American victims are typically backcountry recreationists—snowmobilers topping the list. Interestingly, people don't die of suffocation, as there is still 60-70 percent air even in the densest avalanche deposits. What's fatal is that their carbon dioxide builds up in the snow around their mouth leading to carbon dioxide poisoning. If dug out within the first 15 minutes, the victim stands a much better chance of surviving.
If caught in a Park City avalanche, the Center suggests that, number one, get off the moving slab! Skiers and boarders should head straight down the hill and got off to the side as quickly as possible. Snowmobilers should use their machine power. If traveling uphill, throddle it uphill. Downhill, continue traveling directly downhill. On foot, ski, or board, your best friend could be a tree unless you're traveling too quickly. If immersed in snow, swim. A human body is denser than avalanche debris and can sink. If you've come to a rest in deep snow, burrow an air space in front of your mouth and stick your hand up to signal help and that you're alive.
Avalanches occur on slopes between 35 and 40 degrees. Less or more than that seldom means danger. Unfortunately, most skiers and boarders like the steeper terrain. Anchors, such as trees and large rocks, and the direction of the slope toward the sun are all factors to consider when choosing a backcountry, according to the Avalanche Center. Calling the avalanche report, being aware of collapsing snow around you, watching for cracking snow, and being aware of rapid changes in snowfall coupled with your body weight are all ways that you might prevail against the odds of becoming victim to a Park City avalanche.
To access an updated report or more information on avalanche areas of Park
City ski resort, contact the Utah Avalanche Center at www.avalanche.org.
