Observer Name
The Snowy Torrents
Observation Date
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Avalanche Date
Monday, December 27, 1971
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Snowbird Ski Resort
Location Name or Route
Bret Nye's
Elevation
10,700'
Aspect
Northwest
Slope Angle
Unknown
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Depth Hoar
Depth
4'
Width
Unknown
Vertical
450'
Caught
1
Carried
1
Buried - Fully
1
Injured
1
Accident and Rescue Summary
“The Snowy Torrents are like the Deep Sea: They seldom return their victims alive”
Narrative provided by The Snowy Torrents, courtesy of the American Avalanche Association. More information here: https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/store
Williams, Knox (1975). The Snowy Torrents 1967-1971: Avalanche Accidents in the United States. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station
Comments
Of note, is that an 2# explosive was used on this slope in the am; Post Control Release (PCR).
Avalanche File
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 1971.12.27 Nye's page 1 .pdf | 316.16 KB |
| 1971.12.27 Nye's page 2.pdf | 102.81 KB |
Coordinates
