February 3, 2021
Three backcountry skiers in Colorado were missing and feared dead after the group they were traveling with triggered a large avalanche Monday, burying four members of the group in debris, officials said Tuesday.
The avalanche occurred Monday afternoon in an area known locally as The Nose, situated between the towns of Silverton and Ophir, according to an initial report of the episode from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
DeAnne Gallegos, a spokeswoman for the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management, said that a search for the missing skiers had taken place Monday and Tuesday but was suspended Tuesday evening because conditions in the area were “so unstable and so dangerous.” She said the search would resume Wednesday morning, “weather permitting.”