With great sadness, the Utah Avalanche Center reports that a 57-year old skier, Kurt Damschroder of Park City, was killed in a backcountry avalanche off of Squaretop Peak, located on the Park City Ridgeline. The preliminary information can be found
HERE. Our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragic accident, especially the family and friends of the victim.
UAC Staff, along with PCMR Ski Patrol, investigated the accident yesterday and will have the full report available in a couple of days.
This morning, under cloudy skies we have an inversion in the mountains with temperatures ranging from the mid-teens to mid-20s F. Winds, are southwesterly, and light, averaging 10-15 mph with gusts between 20-30mph at ridgelines.
Today, high pressure will continue to build bringing mostly cloudy skies in the morning and becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Temperatures will be in the mid-30s F, and southerly winds will remain calm with gusts below 35 mph at the upper ridgelines.
The final rough snow totals from this past storm below:
Upper LCC: 15.5"-21" new snow (1.16 "-1.15" water)
Upper BCC: 12"-20" new snow (0.88"-1.20" water)
Park City Ridge: 10"-14" new snow (0.80"-1.1" water)
Looking ahead: The next storm system is expected to cross the area Wednesday. Some uncertainty remains concerning the timing and how the pieces will come together, but Wednesday afternoon or evening look like the window for the heaviest snowfall.
Yesterday was another active day in the backcountry, reports of avalanches continued to roll in. Between January 30th-31st, we have had 25 avalanches have been reported in the Central Wasatch backcountry. While most of these avalanches occurred on the 30th, we had two new avalanches reported in the backcountry yesterday. A few avalanches of note:
- Claytons Peak/Lackawaxen - East Aspect - 10,400' - Occurred during a natural cycle 1/30 - The avalanche broke down 3-5' deep and 1000' feet across.
- Birthday Chutes - West Aspect - 9,600' - A skier triggered an avalanche that broke 4' deep in the weak faceted snow and 50' across
Photo of the Clayton Peak avalanche (McIntyre)
The avalanche list is growing, and as always, you can find all observations and recent avalanches
HERE.
