Accident: Brighton Hill 1/22/2010

Fri, 01/22/2010 - 7:58pm

Submitted by bruce

Observer Name:

Second hand from Brighton Patrol

Observation Date:

01/22/2010

Occurrence Date:

01/22/2010

Occurrence Time:

1:00pm

Region:

Brighton Hill
10420
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Salt Lake

Location

40° 36' 25.0128" N, 111° 34' 31.5552" W

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

9100'

Aspect:

Northwest

Trigger:

Snowboarder

Trigger: additional info:

Unintentionally Triggered

Avalanche Type:

Soft Slab

Depth (avg):

2.5'

Width:

600'

Vertical:

900'

People Involved

Caught:

Carried:

Fully Buried:

Injured:

Accident & Rescue Info

Accident & Rescue Summary:

Close call with total burial of snowboarder (splitboard) and recovered by their partner using a beacon. Burial time was about 10 minutes, blue lips when recovered but still breathing--buried about 2 feet deep. The victim recovered and was able to get out on his own with response from the Brighton Ski Patrol. (We will provide more details as they become available.)

Terrain Summary:

The accident occurred in the backcountry north of Brighton, low on the northwest spur of peak 10,420, on a small slope above the intersection of Big Cottonwood Canyon road and the Guardsman's Pass road. It is the site of the first snowboarder fatality in Utah in February of 1986 and because of this, it has been known locally as "Snowboarder Alley" or "Brad's Run". It is officially called Brighton Hill in the UDOT avalanche control highway atlas. It is a northwest facing slope around 9,000' and quite steep.

Snow Profile

Snow Profile Comments:

The avalanche reportedly broke about 2.5 feet deep, 300 yards wide and the debris came close to the cabins on the Big Cottonwood Canyon road.

General Comments

The party had consulted the avalanche advisory that morning.

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