Trees And Buildings Snapped Like Toothpicks By Avalanche

Here's a not-so-fun fact you probably already know: avalanches can be destructive.

How destructive, you ask? Destructive enough to flatten buildings and snap trees like toothpicks. Here's a video from filmmaker Tony Korologos that shows off the aftermath of an avalanche that struck Tanners Flat Campground, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, last winter.

In case you missed it, Little Cottonwood Canyon, home to world-class ski resorts Alta and Snowbird, saw historic snowfall this past season. Both resorts in the Canyon surpassed their record snowfall totals.

And unprecedented snowfall in Little Cottonwood Canyon meant unprecedented avalanche activity.

The Canyon's already considered one of the most avalanche-prone locales in North America, but this past winter was a different ball game. According to the Utah Department of Transportation, 98 avalanches struck Little Cottonwood Canyon's State Route 210 during the 2022-2023 winter.

The fallout of consistent avalanche activity looks like what you just saw in this video from Tony Korologos: snapped trees and destroyed infrastructure. Repairs and a clean-up are certainly in order.

While I'd never wish for a bad snow year, it does look like Little Cottonwood Canyon could use a little less snow than last season. Missing out on a few pow days to reduce avalanche frequency seems like a fair trade-off.

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