This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 46-year-old man was injured in an avalanche late Wednesday morning in the area of Upper Days Fork of Big Cottonwood Canyon east of Cottonwood Heights.
The Utah Avalanche Center, which had earlier issued a warning of increased backcountry danger for potentially deadly mountain-slope snowslides, said the 10:19 a.m. avalanche partially buried a skier, who suffered a compound fracture to his leg.
By noon, the injured man had been flown by helicopter to University Hospital, where he was reported to be in fair condition.
Days Fork is about 10 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon on the south side of the canyon, and is just north — over the ridge — from the Alta ski area, but not on the grounds of Alta or any of the other area ski resorts.
Avalanche forecaster Drew Hardesty said the avalanche, about 2 feet deep and 50 feet wide, was triggered by a group of three skiers as they entered the so-called "Jaws" area, a steep, rugged north-facing chute that is about 70 feet wide at its top, but narrows to a "choke" bordered by cliff bands and jutting rocks near its bottom.
A spread of what Hardesty described as small, dense trees await any unwary skiers at the bottom.
Unified Police spokesman Jared Richardson said the first two skiers in the group went down the chute with no problem but the third skier was swept off his feet and carried 400 to 500 feet.
Snow covered the man for about three minutes until his two companions and a nearby group of six skiers dug him out and called 911, Richardson said. He said the man, who had an avalanche beacon, was not breathing at first but started breathing on his own once he was dug out.
Salt Lake County Search and Rescue workers reached the man and rendered first aid.
No other injuries were reported.
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