Observer Name
Mike Rossberg & Ryan Shea & UAC Staff
Observation Date
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Avalanche Date
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Region
Provo » Snake Creek » Ant Knolls
Location Name or Route
Ant Knolls
Elevation
9,600'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Depth Hoar
Depth
3'
Width
600'
Vertical
500'
Caught
2
Carried
2
Buried - Partly
2
Injured
1
Accident and Rescue Summary
Wasatch County SAR Notes: Subject was dug out when I arrived and was being treated by Life Fight nurse. Father and son were sledding on the Ant Knolls face and they both jumped the cornice and rode down the 40+ degree east face. On the 3rd jump, the father triggered the slide and tried to ride it out but was caught carried about 800' down and was pinned up against a 3" trunk diameter pine tree at toe of the slide and was partially burial with serious injury to leg and ribs. His son was carried down but only partial buried and was not injured and was able to rend aid to father quickly. We carried the father about 150 yards down to Life Flight. The Son rode his snowmobile out.
Comments
Ryan Shea Photos:
Comments
UAC Notes: Two sled tracks disappear over the cornice onto the slope below. The avalanche is estimated to be 2–4 feet deep on average and around 600 feet wide. It ran full track to the flats below, dropping roughly 500 vertical feet. The bed surface exposes dirt and grass, indicating failure on facets or depth hoar near the base. Likely a repeater slope. Check out the field day observation HERE.
UAC photos below - all from NE ridge at 9600':
Comments
On Tuesday March 4, 2025- forecasters from the UAC were able to get to the toe of this avalanche. Read the full observation HERE.
Photo (red arrows) showing burial locations:
Photos of the avalanche:
Video
Coordinates