Two snowmobile riders died in an avalanche in Colorado on Saturday, according to state and local officials.
The avalanche buried the riders at about 2 p.m. on Jan. 7 on Mount Epworth, six miles from Winter Park, a ski resort town, in the southern Rocky Mountains, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
The Grant County Sheriff’s office said emergency responders recovered and tried to resuscitate one of the riders to no avail Saturday. He was identified as a 58-year-old Colorado man. Officials could not locate the second victim before dark on Saturday, but returned Sunday morning to search the area and found the second rider. This rider was identified as a 52-year-old man.
Officials said both victims were transported to the coroner’s office, where an official cause of death would be determined.
Winter avalanche death toll mounts to five
The deaths were the first due to an avalanche in the United States this year, and brought the 2022-2023 winter season death total to five, according to CAIC, which compiles national avalanche accident data.
On Dec. 26, a father snowboarding with his teenage sons died after an avalanche buried him near Nitro Chute in Colorado and on New Year’s Eve and a son skiing with his father was killed and buried under three and a half feet of snow in a gulch near Breckenridge, Colorado.
A solo snowmobiler also died in an avalanche in Montana on Dec. 31, according to CAIC.
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Annual avalanche deaths
An average of 27 people have died in avalanches over the last 10 winters in the U.S, CAIC said. The deadliest winter season in recent memory was 2020-2021, when 37 people died.
Avalanche safety
Experts recommend avoiding slopes steeper than 30 degrees, and checking online for snowpack conditions and avalanche advisories.
Avalanches are caused by a trigger – and in 90% of incidents, the trigger is the victim – but new snow, wind and other events can trigger an avalanche as well, according to the National Weather Service.
It’s best practice to pack a shovel to help dig someone out of snow, and a transceiver to help locate someone or be located in the aftermath of an avalanche. A snow probe can also help find people trapped under snow.
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Warning signs of an avalanche
According to the National Weather Service, these are the signs of a lurking avalanche:
- You see an avalanche happen or evidence of previous slides
- Cracks form in the snow around your feet or skis
- Ground feels hollow under you
- “Whumping” sound as you walk
- Heavy snowfall or rain in the past 24 hours
- Warming or rapidly increasing temperatures
- Visible surface patterns on the snow made by strong winds
USA TODAY
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