The UAC was officially established in 1980 in collaboration with the US Forest Service (USFS). The nonprofit Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center was formed in 1990 to help bridge the gap between the available funding and actual expenses of operating an avalanche center alongside growing user demand and increasing need for education and awareness. This development protected the UAC from year-to-year fluctuations in USFS funding. Today, the nonprofit UAC is responsible for the majority of avalanche awareness and education in Utah, as well as funding and strategic management of the partnership with the USFS.
