Avalanche in Utah
Every avalanche event the National Weather Service has filed in Utah, year by year, with the most significant episodes. A mass of snow sliding down a mountainside that caused a death, an injury or damage.
The most significant on the map
The most significant avalanche episodes in Utah.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 101
- Deaths
- 81
- Injuries
- 46
- Damage
- $259,000
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Avalanche and Flooding in Utah, January 7 to 12, 2005A stalled storm system just off the southern California coast was able to tap abundant tropical moisture from the central Equatorial Pacific Ocean and dump copious amounts of rain and wet snow on many portions of Utah.
- Avalanche in Utah, February 6, 2021A backcountry avalanche at Wilson Glade in Millcreek Canyon, just outside of Salt Lake City, caught and fully buried six people, killing four within the group.
- Avalanche in Utah, December 10 to 11, 2004Several days of heavy wet snow combined with strong winds to produce extreme avalanche conditions in the Wasatch Mountains. 4 people lost their lives in avalanches during this two day period.
- Avalanche in Utah, February 17 to 18, 2007An unstable snowpack resulted in an increased number of avalanches across the region.
- Avalanche in Utah, December 26, 2003Three snowboarders were killed as a large avalanche swept down the mountain near the Aspen Grove area around Sundance.
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Utah, February 16 to 19, 2026A strong and moist trough pushed inland during the middle portion of February, leading to several days of impactful weather.
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Utah, February 5 to 10, 2014A series of moist weather disturbances moved across Utah during the second week of February, bringing an extended period of snowfall to northern Utah. In addition to the new snow, two avalanche fatalities occurred during this period of time.
- Avalanche in Utah, February 21 to 22, 2026Following a strong mid-month winter storm which produced substantial mountain snow accumulations, many avalanches were reported across Utah's mountains due to snowpack conditions.
- Avalanche and Heavy Snow in Utah, May 4 to 9, 2024A cold season type of trough and associated surface features moved through Utah in early May. Ahead of the system, strong synoptic wind gusts occurred throughout portions of the state. While wind gusts decreased following a cold frontal passage, precipitation increased.
- Avalanche in Utah, January 18, 2013Two boys were killed in an avalanche in the Uinta Mountains during a snowmobile trip with their family.
- Avalanche in Utah, December 28 to 31, 2024Snowboarders died in avalanches in Millcreek Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon.
- Avalanche in Utah, January 2, 1999Two teenagers from Mapleton were killed when they triggered an avalanche in Fairview Canyon, 12 miles southeast of Fairview in San Pete County. The boys, ages 16 and 17, ventured out onto a snow cornice which collapsed, sweeping the pair 150 feet down the mountain.
- Avalanche in Utah, January 11, 2000Two skiers were killed in a large avalanche in the backcountry near The Canyons ski resort. The slide from Square Top Peak was estimated to be near 500 feet wide and 5 feet deep, with a vertical drop of 1000 feet.
- Avalanche in Utah, March 10, 2001Two snowmobilers were killed in an avalanche in the Uinta Mountains of Summit County near the town of Oakley. They were "high-marking" in an area of Upper Chalk Creek known as "the chutes".
- Avalanche in Utah, April 28, 2001Warm weather triggered a large "glide" avalanche in Stairs Gulch on Storm Mountain above Big Cottonwood Canyon, killing 2 hikers. The enormous slide was 1,000 feet wide and 10 feet deep. The slide funneled 2,000 vertical feet down into the narrow gulch.
- Avalanche in Utah, March 16, 2002Two snowboarders were buried and killed by a massive avalanche which swept down a steep slope in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon. The two were part of a large group of snowboarders traveling through the backcountry near the Brighton Ski Resort.
- Avalanche in Utah, December 24, 2008An avalanche at Logan Peak on the morning of December 24th killed two snowmobilers.
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Utah, March 8 to 13, 2023Another in a series of winter storms impacted the region early to mid March, resulting in widespread snow accumulation primarily throughout Utah's high terrain. High winds were observed in many locations.
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Utah, January 29 to 31, 2016After a month of primarily quick-hitting storms, a longer duration winter storm moved through Utah at the end of January, bringing heavy snow to much of the state.
- Avalanche in Utah, December 23, 2007An avalanche in-bounds at the Canyons Resort caught 4 skiers in it, leading to three injuries and one fatality.
- Avalanche in Utah, December 31, 2007Three snowboarders were caught in an avalanche, leading to one fatality.
- Avalanche in Utah, March 26, 2011A group of experienced backcountry skiers was exploring a slope in Sanpete County when they triggered an avalanche, catching an carrying 3 people, and eventually killing one.
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Utah, April 4 to 6, 2010A major winter storm took a three day period to move through northern Utah, bringing heavy wet snow to the area. Though the snowfall remained primarily in northern Utah, southern Utah received strong gusty winds as this storm moved through the region.
- Avalanche in Utah, November 7, 1998A 21-year-old New Hampshire man was killed and a woman seriously injured after an avalanche swept a party of 5 snowboarders down a rocky slope in Little Cottonwood Canyon of the Wasatch Mountains. The group was descending Mt.
- Avalanche in Utah, January 21, 2016Two skiers at Gobblers Knob, near Big Cottonwood Canyon, were caught in an avalanche, and one of them was killed by the accident.
More
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.