Avalanche
An 11-year-old girl was killed Thursday after being caught in an avalanche while backcountry skiing with her family near Brighton Ski Resort, marking another fatal slide during a difficult winter for Utah’s avalanche safety community. On Wednesday, a father was killed by an avalanche in the Wasatch when he was snowmobiling with his son. The avalanche occurred in terrain adjacent to the resort in an area known as the “Rock Garden,” according to Fox 13 News. Brighton Ski Patrol and Wasatch Backcountry Rescue teams responded shortly after 12:45 p.m. Despite rescue efforts, the girl did not survive.
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The Utah Avalanche Center said forecasters planned to visit the accident site Friday to gather information about conditions and the circumstances surrounding the slide. In a public statement, the center said it was “devastated” by the fatality and extended condolences to the victim’s family and friends.
The death comes during a winter marked by heightened avalanche concerns across the region, where fluctuating snow conditions and persistent weak layers have contributed to unstable backcountry terrain. The UAC continues to urge caution, even as recent storms have improved overall snow coverage.
Utah’s snowpack, while boosted by recent snowfall, remains below normal across all regions of the state, according to federal data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. In the central Wasatch where the avalanche occurred, the snowpack is sitting at approximately 62% of its average level for this time of year. Snowpack is a critical resource in Utah, typically supplying about 95% of the state’s annual water needs.
