Wasatch County Search and Rescue conducts avalanche training as snowpack in Utah remains dangerous

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — Wasatch County Search and Rescue teams spent the weekend sharpening their avalanche response skills with the help of the Backcountry Institute. The two-day training, held Saturday and Sunday, focused on improving techniques for navigating hazardous conditions and rescuing those caught in avalanches.

The training comes as avalanche danger remains high across Utah, with experts warning of an unstable snowpack following recent storms. According to the Utah Avalanche Center, the layered snowpack has created conditions prone to triggering slides up to four feet deep and several hundred feet wide, particularly in steep, high-elevation terrain.

In the past few weeks, multiple avalanches have occurred throughout the state, including significant slides in Logan Canyon and the Wasatch. Sadly, two people died in separate avalanches  withing four days of one another – both were traveling solo in the backcountry. Officials continue to urge backcountry enthusiasts to exercise caution, check daily avalanche forecasts, and carry proper safety equipment.

With the snowpack expected to remain unstable in the coming days, officials are reminding outdoor enthusiasts to prioritize safety.

The Utah Avalanche Center’s forecast issued Jan. 6 classified danger as “considerable” in the Salt Lake area, which includes the Wasatch and Wasatch back.

“You can trigger large avalanches 2-4’+ thick failing on an old persistent weak layer of faceted snow. You will be able to trigger them from a distance or from below. The most likely place to trigger one of these avalanches is on (or beneath) steep west to north to east facing slopes at the mid and upper elevations,” forecaster Drew Hardesty wrote.