Avalanche
The video above shows the destruction caused by heavy snowfall and avalanches during Utah’s record-breaking winter 22/23. Thousands of trees and a bathroom facility at Tanner’s Flat campground were destroyed.
Due to this, the cleanup in Little Cottonwood Canyon will be a more significant task than usual. This year, the canyon had 98 avalanches, leading to 34 full road closures totaling nearly 1500 hours. Crews must repair erosion, fill potholes, and mitigate floods while assessing damage to recreation areas and trails that need clearing. The cleanup may take a few summers, and crews will prioritize the recreation areas before trail clearing and cleaning.
Little Cottonwood Canyon was hit particularly hard by Utah’s record-setting 2022-2023 winter season. Abundant snowfall caused numerous avalanches, leading to canyon closures that sometimes lasted for days. As the winter snowpack melts, the damage from those avalanches is now being revealed.
“I think it’s the worst I’ve seen,” said Tony Korologos. “I mean, I’ve seen a few big winters like this, but obviously, this is the biggest one we’ve ever had.”
