Backcountry skier killed in Colorado avalanche identified
DENVER (AP) Authorities have identified one of two men who were killed in separate avalanches in Colorado on Sunday.
The Clear Creek Coroner’s Office says 57-year-old David Heide of Saint Mary’s died while skiing alone in the Mount Trelease area some 57 miles (92 kilometers) west of Denver.
The county sheriff’s office says members of the Alpine Rescue Team found the man’s body in an avalanche debris field near the popular backcountry skiing area.
A separate person was killed in another avalanche while snowmobiling near Winter Park in Grand County on Sunday.
February is only halfway over, but it’s already been one of the deadliest months for avalanches in the history of Colorado. Six people have died in avalanches already this month,
A man killed in a Grand County avalanche was a successful real estate investor who took to the High Country on Sunday, Feb. 14, to snowmobile with his son.
Michael “Tony” Westall, 58, of Parker, died when he was caught in an avalanche west of Rollins Pass. Westall met one of his three sons Sunday morning in Empire to hook up for a day of snowmobiling.
Grand County Sheriff’s Office officials said first responders found the snowmobile had been carried onto a frozen lake and later located the rider in the snow. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Grand County Coroner’s Office is investigating his cause and manner of death.
An avalanche on Buffalo Pass Saturday had a crown up to 12 feet deep in areas. The slide was triggered by a snowcat more than 70 feet away. (Courtesy CAIC)
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS In an “extremely close call” in the backcountry east of Vail on Saturday, a snowboarder got caught in an avalanche that carried him through the trees and buried him under about a foot and a half of snow.
The AvaLung breathing system he had and transceiver his partner used to find him which took about 15 minutes likely saved his life.
Colorado is seeing a once-in-a-decade snowpack that has not been this bad since 2012, according to Eric Green, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The poor snowpack has also been deadly, with the 15 deaths in the first week of February in the U.S. being the most recorded since 1910. Eight of the deaths were Coloradans.
2 men found dead after separate avalanches in Colorado
February 15, 2021 GMT
SILVER PLUME, Colo. (AP) Two men were killed in separate avalanches in Colorado on Sunday.
One man had been skiing alone in the Mount Trelease area, 57 miles (92 kilometers) west of Denver near Interstate 70, when the avalanche happened, the Clear Creek Sheriff’s Office said. Members of the Alpine Rescue Team found the man’s body about two hours later in the avalanche debris field near the popular backcountry skiing area, the office said.
His name was not released pending notification of relatives.
Also on Sunday, a separate person was killed during an unrelated avalanche while snowmobiling, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said.