Our Week in Review highlights significant snowfall, weather, and avalanche events of the prior week. (Review the archived forecasts for the Salt Lake mountains.) 

The danger roses for the Salt Lake mountains from Friday, December 17 through Thursday, December 23:

Summary: Several human-triggered avalanches with some near-misses.  A list of avalanche occurrences for the Salt Lake mountains. Almost all avalanche activity occurred on northerly-facing slopes failing in weak, faceted snow buried underneath the previous week's storm and wind-driven snow. Avalanches routinely broke out several hundred feet wide and breaking down 2-6' deep. Many avalanches were triggered remotely (from a distance). Fortunately there were no injuries reported.

Friday, December 17: Snowfall continues throughout much of the day, adding 6" to storm totals now exceeding 3'. West/northwest winds persist through much of the day. Seven human-triggered avalanches are reported to the UAC, including a full-burial in the Meadow Chutes in Silver Fork with a fortunate rescue from the rider's party.

Drew Hardesty traveled along the Big Cottonwood/Millcreek ridgeline and remotely triggered two avalanches:

Saturday, December 18: Twelve human-triggered avalanches occur in the backcountry. A few of the highlights:

Upper Days Fork (rider deployed airbag)

Sunday, December 19: 

Three avalanches reported from the backcountry, including a large avalanche in Hidden Canyon in the Brighton Backcountry. There was a report of an avalanche, with tracks entering the slope and no apparent tracks leaving the debris. Snow safety and rescue personnel from Solitude and Brighton resorts entered the scene with a probe line and dogs and determined there were no burials in the debris. If you ever trigger an avalanche, please be sure to report it to snow safety from nearby resorts.

Monday, December 20: Continued warming temperatures and clear skies with light to moderate winds. Only one backcountry avalanche reported to the UAC from Grizzly Gulch.

Tuesday, December 21: The Winter solstice. Continued clear skies and light to moderate winds. No backcountry avalanches reported to the UAC, but a resort using explosives triggered a deep avalanche, breaking down 4-5' and over 100' wide. Failing on facets on an upper-elevation northeast-facing slope.

Wednesday, December 22: Skies cloud up and temperatures rise with a slight increase in wind, ahead of a forecasted period of strong winds and heavy precipitation. Another near-miss where a rider , this time in the Snake Creek drainage which is in the Provo mountains, but just a short distance southwest from Sunset Peak. This avalanche involved a catch and carry on a steep north-facing slope that broke down 2' deep in facets. Fortunately the rider was able to grab a tree as the slide washed over them. We appreciate the candor from the person reporting this avalanche.

Thursday, December 23: Strong winds from the south and west with gusts over 80 mph at the uppermost ridges and 30's and 40's mph at the mid elevations. No backcountry avalanches are reported.