Avalanche awareness

Fresh snow and mountains of powder make most of Utah's skiers and snowmobilers giddy with joy. Others, however, see more than just a chance to carve some lines in the virgin snow. They see risk. And it's their job to minimize those risks. "This is really personal for our ski patrol," Snowbird spokesman Jared Ishkanian said. "And I think it's the same at every resort in the state. We seek out every possible chance to prevent avalanches and keep our guests safe."

And yet there are still accidents, injuries and occasional deaths when outdoors adventurers find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Mother Nature is still the boss," Eric Gustafson, an expert and instructor in avalanche safety and preparedness with Utah Mountain Adventures, said. "Sometimes, no matter how prepared you think you are, you can't outrun Mother Nature."

That point has been driven home hard for backcountry enthusiasts in recent weeks. Two snowmobilers were killed in an avalanche in Cache County in late December, and another died a few days later in Summit County.

Snowbird, likewise, was stung when a skier was buried by a slide on Dec. 14 and died.

Numerous other avalanches have been less deadly in the state, but the season is just beginning and will undoubtedly see more life-threatening slides as more people ski, snowshoe and snowmobile throughout the winter.

"This seems to be a unique year," Ishkanian said. "We've seen more avalanches than usual, it seems. For all the wrong reasons, it could continue to be a unique year going forward."

Ski resorts such as Snowbird employ vigilant ski patrols and use aggressive avalanche control measures to try and reduce the risks for anyone on the slopes. But as the backcountry — areas out of resort boundaries and not maintained or patrolled regularly — is ventured into more often, the incidents of people being trapped will also rise.

With each publicized avalanche involving skiers or snowmobilers, however, there is also a rise in awareness.

"The community knows there is a danger out there," Gustafson said. "They want to educate themselves. So, in a way, that's a good thing."

Gustafson said outdoors enthusiasts who recreate at established resorts and trails rarely have problems with avalanches. It's those, he says, who get a rush out of pushing boundaries and limits that often find themselves in trouble.