This month Canyon Blog stopped by the Utah Department of Transportation garage in Alta to catch up with Little Cottonwood’s avalanche supervisor Laurie D. Officially she has another title but that’s not how residents of the canyon think of her and avalanche supervisor is way cooler. If you transit from the mouth of the canyon to any point upslope, you owe your safety to her and her team of five professionals.
A transplant from Colorado, she was introduced to the canyon while river guiding one summer. After a year as a Snowbird lifty she transitioned to ski patrol in 2007. Over the next half dozen seasons she found herself drawn more and more to the “snow” side of patrol.
Canyon Blog: “That’s not exactly a straight line to highway safety.”
Laurie: “Well, my predecessor Liam was beefing up staff and modifying protocols and I sort of slid in during the 13/14 season.”
That turned into a rotational position in Big Cottonwood, Provo Canyon, and Sundance as a first step. Which, in turn, provided a landing pad when he left soon after.
CB: “So you inherited LCC…”
LD: “Kinda. This is my canyon. I couldn’t live in the valley and wouldn’t want to be in the others.”
Your correspondent relates to that statement, as do you kind reader. Or so one imagines.
What’s the best part of the job?
LD: “The UDOT scope is broad and it allows you to do things you love like ski.”
Ah yes, but then there must be a counterbalance.
LD: “What’s unique is it can be very low activity when things are slow, but then it spikes to an incredible level and that can be very high stress.”
No doubt, given that everyone down canyon wants up. Until they want down. Then they want down right now. Which leads to a final question: What happens during a crisis situation?
LD: “We’re a hub for things. Organizing, info sharing, during a crisis we are a source for a lot of information. And it’s not just the highway, but the structures and town as well. It’s an unspoken responsibility.”
And one we’re grateful for. Thank you, Laurie, and your team for keeping us safe. Canyon Blog won’t be taking you for granted. And neither should you dear reader.