Observer Name
UAC Staff
Observation Date
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Avalanche Date
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Maybird Gulch » Pfeifferhorn
Location Name or Route
Pfeifferhorn
Elevation
11,000'
Aspect
Southeast
Slope Angle
Unknown
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
6"
Vertical
1,250'
Caught
4
Carried
4
Injured
4
Comments
Four skiers/riders were boot packing up the east ridge of the Pfeifferhorn when a shallow 2"-6" deep wind slab failed. and pulled them off their feet and sending them over the rocky outcropping below them. Avalanche was triggered on the ESE face and ran approx 900-1200 feet below the rock band. The debris pile was relatively small. One of the riders was able to self-arrest before the rock band, however, their partner tumbled into them and knocked them over the rocks as well. Two of the party suffered lower leg injuries while the other two just minor bumps and bruises. Utah and Salt Lake County search and rescue teams and Lifeflight and DPS responded to the accident. Once winds died down and cloud level rose DPS was able to hoist all 4 back to the UCSAR command post in Alpine. All four members were off the mountain by 6:00 PM.
Photos courtesy UDOT Provo
![](https://utahavalanchecenter.org/sites/default/files/images/misc/2020-21/InkedIMG_0598_LI.jpg)
![](https://utahavalanchecenter.org/sites/default/files/images/misc/2020-21/InkedIMG_0593_LI.jpg)
Video
Coordinates