2 injured, 1 dead after avalanche in Gunnison County
Starting zone of an avalanche that buried and killed a man in Gunnison County on Friday, March 17.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect that the person killed in the avalanche was a skier rather than a snowboarder. Original information obtained by The Denver Gazette said the backcountry party was traveling on snowboards but new information from a friend of the deceased said two members of the party, including the deceased, were on skis and one was on a split board.
An avalanche southwest of the town of Marble injured two people and killed a third Friday evening.
The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office and several other Search and Rescue organizations got a call at 5:52 p.m. Friday about the avalanche near Chair Mountain, according to a sheriff’s office alert.
Three adult men were backcountry touring on skis in upper Rapid Creek, just southwest of Marble, when the avalanche happened, according to a Colorado Avalanche Information Center news release.
One of the group members hiked out of the backcountry to get help. A second group member was evacuated by helicopter. Search and Rescue teams located the third person dead buried about four feet deep in avalanche debris, according to the release.
The rescue efforts included the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Mountain Rescue Aspen, West Elk Rescue Group, Flight for Life, Careflight of the Rockies and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, there have been eight reports of people caught or carried in avalanches this week. All the incidents happened on east and southeast-facing slopes.
#COAvalancheInfo People are having close calls with large avalanches. Eight reports of people caught or carried in avalanches this week, all on east and southeast-facing slopes. Check the forecast and consider avoiding steep easterly slopes altogether https://t.co/E7yJWqyZwj pic.twitter.com/XLgssB2wI6
— CAIC:Statewide Info (@COAvalancheInfo) March 18, 2023
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