Avalanche Kills 2 Snowshoers and Their Dog Near Breckenridge, CO

Two snowshoers and their dog were killed in an avalanche near Breckenridge, CO, on Saturday, reports the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Preliminary Report: Two snowshoers were reported overdue after an outing on January 8, 2022. With information from the party’s friends and family, deputies from the Summit County Sheriffs office, volunteers from the Summit County Rescue Group, and Flight for Life began searching an area west of Hoosier Pass. They found a recent avalanche and a faint track in an area of interest on a flank of North Star Mountain. An avalanche rescue dog located both snowshoers and their dog, all of whom were completely buried by avalanche debris. All three were deceased. 

The avalanche broke about 400 feet wide ran about 250 vertical feet and broke into old snow layers.

CAIC staff will visit the site on January 10 and will post a full report later this week. 

Our deepest condolences go out to the friends and family and everyone affected by this tragic accident.

– CAIC

The snowshoers were reported missing on Sunday morning after failing to return from their hike on Saturday. 

Summit County Rescue Group found their car at the top of Hoosier Pass, 10-miles south of Breckenridge. Search crews, including dogs and a helicopter, discovered a recent avalanche with snowshoe tracks nearby, at 11,700-feet on North Star Mountain. They had been on a trail in the backcountry.

Around 2 pm Sunday, the bodies of the snowshoers and their dog were found beneath the avalanche debris. The D2 avalanche was 400-feet wide and ran 250-feet.

On Saturday, the avalanche danger in the area was rated considerable, level three on a scale of one to five.

The deaths are the seventh and eighth in the US this winter, and the ninth in North America.