Safe in the snow: The Utah Avalanche Center

According to forecaster Toby Weed, the goal of the Utah Avalanche Center, or UAC, is “to keep people on top of the greatest snow on Earth.”  

At UAC, Weed puts out a daily avalanche forecast based on the weather, reports from backcountry skiers and in-field assessments.   

“If I’m not looking at avalanches, I’m digging in the snowpack with a shovel,” Weed said.  

According to Weed, avalanches are very common and happen after almost every storm in the area.  

“There can be hundreds from some storms, whereas other storms, like the one that we had this week, only produced a few,” Weed said on March 4. 

Skiers and snowboarders use his forecast to plan their days and stay safe in the backcountry.  

The forecast, which can be accessed on the UAC website or app, provides more than just a daily high or low danger level. Weed provides in-depth information about the conditions and tips for how to stay safe.  

Abigail Budge is the outreach officer for the Utah State University Snow Club with backcountry ski experience. She advises new backcountry visitors to go with someone with experience, play it safe, read the forecast and take safety gear: a shovel, probe, airbag and functioning beacon. 

“I always read the forecast before I go. I think a big thing too is knowing weather patterns,” Budge said. “As far as just avalanche risk and safety, we talk a lot about risk tolerance. I have a pretty low risk tolerance. If conditions are really dangerous, I stay on stuff that’s really safe, that I know is going to be safe.” 

Dane Johnson

A snowy mountain is seen in Logan Canyon on Mar. 4.

According to Budge, USU Outdoor Programs offers backcountry tours and avalanche safety training new backcountry visitors may find useful. The UAC also offers trainings.  

Ethan Syphus, a senior studying mechanical engineering, took a UAC class where he learned how to rescue someone buried in an avalanche. The group went to Tibble Fork Reservoir, where instructors buried a beacon and sent students to find it.  

“First, you have to find the person with your beacon, and then you have to probe. You have this, basically, tent pole that you pull out of your backpack. You put it together, and then you stick it through the snow and try and feel for the person. Once you feel them, you have to dig them out as fast as you can,” Syphus said.  

According to Syphus, if the person is not reached within 10 to 15 minutes, they will suffocate under the snow. 

“I would not ski with someone who had not been trained because if I’m with someone and I get stuck in an avalanche, they’re the ones that have to pull me out, so I want them to know how to do that because they’re saving my life. I’m not saving my own life,” Syphus said. 

Weed said this winter has primed snow for avalanches.  

“When we don’t get much snow, we don’t really have many avalanches, but the snow that’s on the ground gets really weak, and so it sets us up for increasing avalanche danger once we get snow like right now,” Weed said. 

According to Budge, the arrival of snow in a dry winter presents a dangerous temptation.  

“A lot of times when you get new snow, everybody’s super stoked and wants to go out and ski, but when you have big gaps between snowfall — a new storm that comes through that dumps in a lot of snow — typically then heightens the danger a lot,” Budge said. “So it’s good, especially on those days when you’re getting really excited to go out and ski, to just make sure you evaluated your risks and are in safe terrain because those can be the funnest days, but those can also be the most dangerous days, especially with a season like this.” 

According to Weed, people can stay safe in the backcountry by avoiding slopes steeper than 30 degrees and staying spread out as they travel. 

“We advise people travel with a partner and that they cross a slope steeper than 30 degrees one person at a time while the rest of the group watches from a safe spot and ensure that everybody in the group has avalanche equipment — a transceiver, probe and shovel — and knows how to use it,” Weed said. 

According to Weed, following these protocols saves lives.