Breckenridge, Colorado – On Tuesday, April 10, 2018 a snowmobiler was caught, buried, and killed in an avalanche to the northwest of Glacier Peak, which is located between the Middle Fork of the Swan River and Georgia Pass, east of Breckenridge in Summit County, Colorado.
The slide happened on a north facing slope in alpine terrain. News sources (see belows) state that the rider was carried into trees by an avalanche that measured 2000′ long by 800′ wide. Rescuers responded but the victim did not survive.
The CAIC reports the avalanche danger as moderate on April 10, 2018. The CAIC’s preliminary reports state that the avalanche caught, buried, and killed a snowmobiler northwest of Glacier Peak in Summit County, Colorado. the slide occurred on a planar slope on a north aspect at 12500′. It was recorded as an AMu-R3-D2-O.
The CAIC reports states, “A backcountry snowmobiler was caught, buried, and killed in an avalanche near Glacier Peak in Summit County. Summit County Search and Rescue, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Flight for Life, and Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment team responded. The rider was completed buried. He was located by an avalanche dog and recovered by SAR personnel.”
Photos are available at Avalanche.state.co.us.
CORRECTION: the 1 fatality confirmed in the avalanche burial today was a snowmobiler, not a skier. Watch @SCrescuegroup for updates. #SumCO
— SCSOPIO (@SummitSheriffCO) April 10, 2018
This is the 3rd avalanche fatality in Colorado this winter season. It is the 2nd avalanche fatality in Colorado this week.
We will try to update this post when more information is available.
See Also: Global Avalanche Accidents 2017/2018
Read more about the avalanche near Breckenridge, Colorado from the following sources:
- WashingtonPost.com
- DenverPost.com
- 9News.com
- SummitDaily.com
- TheDenverChannel.com
- KDVR.com
- AspenTimes.com
- Avalanche.state.co.us
