- At least three people were killed in recent avalanches in southern Colorado.
- The body of a missing snowmobiler had been discovered earlier that day.
- A high mountain pass in Mineral County, over the weekend.
Officials said Monday that at least three people were killed in recent avalanches in southern Colorado, and that the body of a missing snowmobiler had been discovered earlier that day.
The unidentified snowmobiler was discovered on Monday after being “buried and killed in an avalanche” near Wolf Creek Pass, a high mountain pass in Mineral County, over the weekend, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center in a Facebook post.
The snowmobiler was one of three people killed by avalanches “triggered by people recreation” on Saturday, according to the avalanche centre.
Officials previously stated on Sunday that two backcountry skiers were “caught, buried, and killed” in a separate avalanche near the Vallecito Reservoir, about 80 miles west of Wolf Creek Pass. The skiers’ identities are unknown.
At the time, officials had said a search and rescue effort was underway for the then-missing snowmobiler.
The danger level for the risk of avalanches had been “high” earlier last week, but had decreased to “considerable” by Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said.
Yet, that day the center said it recorded six avalanches, “three triggered by people,” resulting in the deaths of the snowmobiler and two skiers.
A snowmobile-triggered avalanche in the La Plata Mountains on Sunday also left a rider “fully buried,” according to the report. However, “thankfully, a skilled companion rescue response successfully recovered their partner,” according to the report. The avalanche danger level was expected to rise on Tuesday and become “more widespread,” encompassing most mountains by Wednesday and Thursday, according to the centre.
