Item: The Allen Residence, A Mountain Dream Home Destroyed by Avalanches - An Example of Poor Land-Use Planning, Sundance, Utah
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Title: The Allen Residence, A Mountain Dream Home Destroyed by Avalanches - An Example of Poor Land-Use Planning, Sundance, Utah
Proceedings: Proceedings of the 1994 International Snow Science Workshop, Snowbird, Utah, USA
Authors:
- Richard Giraud
Date: 1994
Abstract: Investigation into a residence destroyed by avalanches provides an excellent example of poor avalanche hazard land-use planning. The Allen residence was a mountain dream home constructed in an avalanche runout zone near the Sundance Ski Resort, Utah. A chronology of events pertaining to the Allen residence was used to investigate residential development of an avalanche runout zone and the resulting economic loss. Structural damage and economic loss could have been prevented if adequate land-use planning and engineering guidelines were followed. On February 13, 1986, the residence was struck by an avalanche which substantially damaged the structure. A law suit, Transamerica Insurance Company v. Sundance Development Corporation and others was filed and eventually dismissed without a conclusive ruling. On February 25, 1993, the residence was struck by a second avalanche destroying the remaining structure and damaging adjacent homes. Mapping of vegetation patterns and avalanche terrain could have provided design information for avalanche magnitude, frequency and runout behavior. Mitigation of the avalanche hazard is critical to avoid additional damage to adjacent homes and possible loss of life. Hazard mitigation could include both operational and structural methods.
Object ID: issw-1994-080-090.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Unknown
Keywords: avalanche terrain, damages, avalanche hazard, runout zones
Page Number(s): 80-90
Subjects: avalanche damages avalanche hazard runout distance
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