Utah Resort Requiring Skiers To Wear Avalanche Beacons In-Bounds Following Mega-Storm
Following a weeklong storm cycle that deposited 64 inches of snow, Brighton Resort, Utah's Milly Bowl, opened today only to those equipped with avalanche safety gear, including a beacon, probe, and shovel.
The resort explained on Instagram yesterday that the initiative was "temporary," and the Milly Bowl would open to the general public "soon."
Brighton's decision to require avalanche gear in the Milly Bowl sparked conversation amongst skiers.
"Given the Palisades slide and death, this will probably become more commonplace among resorts with inbounds high avy risk terrain," one skier wrote below Brighton's Instagram post. "Smart from a skier safety perspective and liability perspective."
Another skier also commended Brighton's choice: "This should be done in a lot of terrain at a lot of mountains more often."
Ski resorts meticulously control for avalanches in-bounds throughout North America. Still, as evidenced by the recent fatal in-bounds slide at Palisades, Tahoe, there's no such thing as a powder day with 0% avalanche risk, even within the confines of a ski resort.
Due to the recent snow, the current avalanche danger in the Salt Lake City area—where Brighton is located—is "considerable" and "high," depending on slope orientation and elevation, per the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC). Avalanche risk will increase throughout the day due to high winds and heavy snowfall.
In its daily report, the UAC advised skiers to remain on "slopes less than a 30-degree today. Stay away from, and avoid slopes connected to, anything steeper than about 30 degrees." Slopes shallower than 30 degrees are much less likely to avalanche than steeper ones.
To read the complete report from the UAC, click here.
Related: What It's Like Skiing At Alta After A 34 Hour Interlodge
Don't miss another headline from POWDER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing.
We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging ski-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on POWDER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality ski videos.
