Category Archive:colorado

Avalanche Lawsuit names Silverton Avalanche School, guide and BCA

January 7th, 2021 / Tags:AIARE , avalanche , avalanche lawsuit , colorado , legal , Silverton Avalanche School / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, avalanche education, Avalanches, colorado, Education, lawsuits, legal / 3 Comments »

Peter Marshall died in an avalanche during an avalanche safety class near Red Mountain Pass in 2019. In an avalanche lawsuit his family names the school, the guide, and Backcountry Access.

The slide swept six skiers down a slope. All of them were part of a Level 2 American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) class. Which was offered by the Silverton Avalanche School.

The family is suing the guide, school and local rescue group. And also the maker of an avalanche airbag and its private equity firm owner. This lawsuit marks the second recent legal action involving avalanches based on reports by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC).

Avalanche Survivor Shares Story

January 5th, 2021 / Tags:avalanche , avalanche survival , colorado , ski area , steamboat / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, Avalanches, colorado, ski area, snowboarding / 2 Comments »

An avalanche survivor is talking about being buried by snow to encourage others to be safe while in the mountains. A year ago he had a life changing experience. He and some friends were snowboarding at Steamboat Resort when an avalanche was triggered above them.

Miraculously, he says his friends found him just as ski patrol was arriving. “I guess my buddies were saying they took my arm out and it just flopped and I was just blue.” He was taken to a hospital and was not injured.

He wants people to know that enjoying the mountains is still a good thing. Just make sure you go with people who have avalanche training.

Skiers caused over 10 San Juan avalanches in Colorado

January 2nd, 2021 / Tags:avalanche danger , avalanches , colorado , san juan mountains , skier triggered / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, Avalanches, colorado, skiing / 1 Comment »

During the past week backcountry skiers have triggered more than 10 avalanches in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Although nobody was seriously injured there have been some dangerous close calls.

There were six reports of skier-triggered San Juan avalanches in the Wolf Creek Pass area. And another five in the western San Juan Mountains.

One skier was caught in two avalanches. They were caught and carried about 100 to 130 feet and deployed an airbag. The skier was “pushed and knocked around but able to stay upright.”

The skier then came to a stop and got the airbag operational again. Attempting to ski down, the skier was caught in a second avalanche, carried another 100 to 130 feet and deployed the airbag again.

The unstable snowpack is a result of early season snow in October and dry weather for weeks in November, causing the snowpack to become weak. Then, additional snow on top of that weak layer causes avalanches.

Skiers triggered avalanche which was fatal in Colorado

December 25th, 2020 / Tags:avalanches , battleship , colorado avalanche , durango , skier triggered / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, colorado, skiing / No Comments »

A final report on a fatal skier triggered avalanche that killed two Durango backcountry skiers last weekend says it appears the skiers likely triggered the slide while climbing up an avalanche path.

The skier triggered avalanche occurred on a steep slope above tree line. “They went on a day that wasn’t a good day to be there,” the official report said. Other skiers in the area that day were interviewed. They mostly stayed in lower angle areas and in the trees. They noted the dangerous conditions on the higher, steeper and open slopes.

Avalanche kills backcountry skier

December 19th, 2020 / Tags:avalanche , avalanche fatality , colorado , ski patroller / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, Avalanches, colorado, skiing / No Comments »

A ski patroller buried by an avalanche was on the northeast end of the Anthracite Range, known as Friendly Finish, in the Gunnison area. He was touring alone in the backcountry at the time.

The avalanche occurred on a northeast-facing slope and the avalanche risk was rated as "considerable," or 3 out of 5. The slide took place at about 10,500 feet.

Avalanche beacon training park established near Minturn

December 18th, 2020 / Tags:avalanche beacon training park , avalanche beacons / Categories: avalanche beacons, avalanche education, Avalanches, colorado, Education / No Comments »

A new avalanche beacon training park outside Minturn, Colorado gives the public an accessible opportunity to practice using avalanche transceivers. Beacons are a critical piece of safety equipment for winter backcountry recreation.

Avalanche Swept a Snowboarder Into a Tree

December 17th, 2020 / Tags:avalanche accident , avalanches , colorado , snowboarding / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, Avalanches, colorado, snowboarding / No Comments »

An avalanche swept a snowboarder into a tree on Tuesday afternoon. It happened on Snodgrass Mountain near Crested Butte. The snowboarder was on a split board.

While there have been several media worthy avalanche accidents already this season the official fatality list shows none in the US so far.

Avalanche burial in Colorado

December 16th, 2020 / Tags:avalanche , avalanche accident , avalanche burial , colorado / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, Avalanches, colorado / No Comments »

Avalanche risk is already present in Colorado despite the lack of early season snow. According to a user-submitted report to the Colorado Avalanche Center a skier was caught in a human-caused avalanche burial on Monday near Marble, Colorado.

I-70 Avalanche – Snowboarders say 4th, 5th Amendment rights were violated

December 4th, 2020 / Tags:avalanche , colorado , lawsuit , legal , snow avalanche / Categories: Avalanches, colorado, Highways, legal / No Comments »

Two backcountry snowboarders who allegedly triggered a snow avalanche near the Eisenhower Tunnel last March are now responding with a first-of-its-kind court motion.

Evan Hannibal and Tyler DeWitt are being charged with a single misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment and are being ordered to pay $168,000 in restitution. However, the pair is claiming the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) violated their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights.

New avalanche-control system on Lizard Head Pass

November 28th, 2020 / Tags:avalanche , CDOT , colorado , lizard head pass , Wyssen / Categories: Avalanches, colorado, Highways / No Comments »

The Colorado Department of Transportation has completed installing a remote avalanche control system on Lizard Head Pass, Colorado 145. Wyssen Avalanche Control of Switzerland’s WAC.3 system will replace aging technology and other methods CDOT currently uses.

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