UTAH — Heads up Utah skiers and snowboarders who are heading into the backcountry as resorts across the state close up shop for the season, avalanche danger persists as evidenced by this skier triggered a soft slab avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Tuesday.
The Utah Avalanche Center reports the skier triggered a soft slab avalanche in Wolverine Cirque on a steep northeast-facing slope at 10,500 feet. The slab broke 6-8 inches deep and 40 feet wide, and the skier was briefly caught but ultimately escaped.
“I was at the top of Wolverine Cirque in ‘The Huge Chute.’ The skier’s right side held a small pocket of soft slab. I dropped in with a ski cut, but nothing moved initially. On my first turn, the slab broke below my feet. I had enough inertia to ski off to the left and avoid being carried, though I was technically caught for a moment. The video provides the best sense of the scale.” -Devon “D-Tron” Gregory
Read the full report from UAC below and remember to get the latest information on avalanche conditions in Utah by viewing the forecast and observations at www.utahavalanchecenter.org.
Utah Avalanche Center – UAC:
Avalanche danger is MODERATE. Yesterday, in Wolverine Cirque a skier triggered a soft slab on a NE facing slope at 10,500 feet that broke 6-8 inches deep and 40 feet wide. The snow quickly picked up speed briefly catching the rider before they were able to escape the slab. While activity on this layer has decreased since last Friday. We continue to see signs that it’s still active.
The snow surface had a solid refreeze last night and many south facing slopes will have a nice long window of safe and supportable travel this morning. Timing is everything with the wet snow problems today. Don’t overstay your welcome. Once snow surfaces become wet and slushy it’s time to avoid steep slopes.
Avalanche Observation: Wolverine Cirque
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Observer: D-Tron
Location & Environment
- Region: Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon
- Specific Site: Wolverine Cirque – THC (The Huge Chute)
- Elevation: 10,800′
- Aspect: Northeast
Avalanche Details
- Type: Soft Slab
- Problem: Persistent Weak Layer (Facets)
- Trigger: Skier
- Size: D1 / R1
- Dimensions: 6″ Deep | 40′ Wide
Observer Comments
“I was at the top of Wolverine Cirque in ‘The Huge Chute.’ The skier’s right side held a small pocket of soft slab. I dropped in with a ski cut, but nothing moved initially. On my first turn, the slab broke below my feet. I had enough inertia to ski off to the left and avoid being carried, though I was technically caught for a moment. The video provides the best sense of the scale.”
