Utah Avalanche Center Releases Full Report on Park City Square Top Avalanche

Square Top Peak is about a half mile to the north of the backcountry gates near 9900 chair lift on the Canyons side of Park City Mountain Resort. Photo: Courtesy Utah Avalanche Center

PARK CITY, Utah. — On Jan 30 along the Park City ridgeline in the backcountry ski area called Square Top Peak, Parkite Kurt Damschroder, 57, was carried, caught, buried, and killed in an avalanche just after 3 p.m. Damschroder and his partner had accessed the area from the 9990 chairlift in the Canyons side of Park City Mountain Resort. Yesterday, that access gate was closed to the public until further notice.

According to an Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) report, Damschroder and a friend were carrying avalanche rescue gear, but did not dig a snowpit that day. This full report lends perspective to the skiers’ decisions and actions they took in managing risk that day. Watching the below video released by UAC brings viewers to the site of the avalanche fatality with forecaster Greg Gagne.

Read The Full Report