February 6, 2021 in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. It was a bluebird day (fresh powder, blue sky) and for me really the first day I got to ski any untracked vertical this year. I've been busy trying to start a business and the avalanche danger has been consistently high for weeks due to a weak layer near the ground that formed early in the season. I often ski tour alone and I wasn't willing to take chances earlier in the season although some would say skiing alone is too much risk in itself. I don't argue that point but I will say it keeps me humble and conservative in my choices on what to ski and again I do my homework. On this day after researching safer terrain I settled on Wilson Fork for some lower angle trees despite the still considerable danger posted by UAC. UAC tells you where that danger is considerable and as a long time backcountry skier here in Utah I've learned to heed their forecast and study it almost daily even when I'm not skiing. The payoff was great as I got to enjoy a beautiful day in the mountains and skied some nice powder in the trees. Only a few miles to my Northwest down the Big Cottonwood North side ridge line something more tragic unfolded for 8 skiers. A very large avalanche caught all 8 of them in Wilson Glade in Millcreek Canyon. 6 were buried and unfortunately 4 young lives were lost. I heard and saw helicopters as I toured and my thoughts went to the possibility of an avalanche. When I made it home later before I had heard any news my brother called from Rochester, NY to ask if I was ok as he had heard about the avalanche on National news. My beautiful day in the mountains ended with sadness for those young lives lost in the mountains.