Avalanche
On Tuesday, January 7, an avalanche caught, buried, and killed a backcountry skier on Red Mountain Number 3, east of Red Mountain Pass, Colorado. The area is known locally as Bollywood and is about six miles east of Telluride.
- Related: SnowBrains Podcast Ep. 73 | Dr. Ethan Greene – Director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center
The avalanche occurred on a northwest-facing slope around 11,300 feet and was rated R2 (small relative to the path) and D2 (able to bury, injure, or kill a person.) No further details are available at this time.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) forecasters will visit the accident site on Wednesday, January 8, and provide more information when available.
The avalanche danger rating for the day was ‘moderate.’
“If you find a shallow spot and collapse a hard layer of snow that rests above weaker snow below, you can trigger an avalanche that will be large enough to injure or kill you. You can trigger avalanches from the margins of these stiff slabs from a distance or below. If you trigger an avalanche, it could be deeper and wider than expected. Avoid traveling near common trigger points, such as convex rollovers, rocky outcrops, or the edges of slopes with thinner margins of a slab.
You may not observe these signs of instability before triggering an avalanche. Give yourself a wide buffer from suspect slopes steeper than about 35 degrees.”
– CAIC forecast for Tuesday, January 7
The fatality is the first avalanche-related death in Colorado this winter and the sixth in North America.
Not surprising, ever since that controversial lodge built by eastern transplant guides was completed it was only a matter of time. Especially since they treat that area like it’s not big deal. It’s unfortunately all about them making money. Crazy thing is, it’s a lot of private property there, so they are technically trespassing. It’s january, it’s Colorado show some respect!
You need to show some respect. This is a dead skier we are talking about, with friends and family.
You are flexing like know the backcountry. Obviously you don’t. If you did, you would know that there is a certain percentage of risk that can go sideways at any time. Maybe get some more context and background info before you go blaming the victim.
that’s what you got? Dude I’ve forgotten more than you’ll ever know, hilarious. What I was saying that these days there are tracks everywhere in the san juans (even though its January), never mind the consequences. People use to respect the dangers, but now its utter madness as somehow skiing off piste has become an ‘industry’. Yes, I know the victim and his wife.