"Here it comes, bro."
Powder Cloud
An amazing video recorded by Thomas Farley, who was visiting a Utah ski resort earlier this week, shows a couple of skiers watching as a giant avalanche thunders through a snowy mountain valley — and then eventually inundates them, in a much-diminished form — in a powerful demonstration of the forces of nature at work.
"What the heck, bro," Farley exclaimed, watching the giant cloud approach at blistering speeds. "Here it comes, bro."
The video, which was taken on the outer edge of the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah on Monday, cuts off just in time for the gigantic cloud of snow to engulf the incredulous group of skiers.
A friend just shared this with me. Avalanche at @SundanceResort. Just now. pic.twitter.com/j2hcCNRdPl
— Chris Harrington (@CCH360) March 27, 2023
Off Property
Fortunately, despite the daunting end to the video, nobody appears to have gotten hurt.
"I checked to make sure I was not going to get hit and then got my phone out to film," Farley told Storyful. "The avalanche did not make it to the resort boundaries, but the massive powder cloud did. [It] kept us covered in a super thick cloud of snow for one or two minutes."
The resort's Twitter account later confirmed that the avalanche "happened off resort property and no one was hurt. We are very grateful for our amazing ski patrol and mountain operations crew who work tirelessly to make sure our slopes are safe."
"We remained open all day and hope you will join us tomorrow for more amazing skiing and boarding," the resort added in a follow-up.
Considerable Danger
The area has seen huge amounts of snowfall, elevating the risk of avalanches. According to the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC), the risk in the surrounding Provo mountain range is "considerable" as of the time of writing.
While it's not the most extreme level of danger, it's the one that's most dangerous to people.
"Most avalanche fatalities occur at Considerable danger because the maximum interaction between people and avalanches occurs there," an explainer by the UAC reads.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, around 100,000 avalanches crash down mountains across the US each year, killing an average of 28 people.
The best way to avoid being stuck in one is to consistently keep up with the most recent weather information, as conditions can change quickly.
More on avalanches: Terrifying Video Shows Cameraperson Get Buried by Giant Avalanche
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