Featured Image: Courtesy of Utah Department of Transportation
Eagle Point Ski Resort, located in the Tushar Mountains outside of Beaver, Utah, has had a tough go. The Cottonwood Fire claimed nearly 100,000 acres in the Tushars earlier this summer. Among the damage lay much of Eagle Point, including 300 acres of terrain, five chairlifts, one lodge, over 100 condos, 30 cabins and a handful of miscellaneous infrastructure. Now, the resort and surrounding community will face another challenge: an indefinitely closed road.
The combination of heavy rain, burned trees and vegetation, and loose soil after the fire created a destructive trio, and over the last 10 days, intense flooding has swept through Beaver. SR-153, the road that travels through Beaver Canyon up to Eagle Point Resort, experienced catastrophic fallout, with the damage stretching several miles, according to the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT).
UDOT's official press release regarding the flood damage made it clear that this will not be a short-order fix. The road is closed just over seven miles east of Beaver, with engineers stating the worst destruction can be found between mileposts 7.5 and 10.5. Officials stated that the road is missing several sections beyond milepost 10.5 as well.
What remains of the SR-153 can be seen in a video posted to UDOT's Instagram account on July 29. Exposed pipes, slabs of concrete and giant trenches carved by the water are scattered for miles. "The full extent of the damage is not yet known," the press release reads. "UDOT is assessing the damage from the air and the ground and developing a repair plan as quickly as possible."
But a solution might not come in the next few weeks, or even months. Flashflooding and debris flow aren't uncommon in the Tushars this time of year, and the burn scar from the Cottonwood Fire is just adding to the problem. "If we have another storm, water and debris could come down the canyon again and cause additional damage," said UDOT Region 4 Deputy Director Jared Beard. "We’ve been seeing thunderstorms every afternoon, and right now, neither side of the mountain is safe."
UDOT also clarified its primary goal at the moment is to make sure floods and debris do not reach or damage Interstate-15 and the Main Street of the town of Beaver, both of which tail out from the end of SR-153.
Our hearts go out to all those in the Tushar Mountain community whose lives have been uprooted by the horrific fires and flooding in recent weeks. Please check out BeaverTUF.org to donate and see how you can make a difference.
Eagle Point owner Shane Gadbaw surveys the damage after the Cottonwood Fire in June, 2026
Photo: Eagle Point Ski Resort
