Avalanche — Northwestern San Juan Mountains, Colorado
February 11, 2010 · NOAA Storm Events record
Event narrative (NOAA)
Seven back-country skiers ventured out on a hut trip near the Ridgeway Hut in the northern San Juan Mountains when two of the skiers were caught in an avalanche. Nearby observations indicated anywhere from 10 to 16 inches of fresh snow had fallen in the 6 days leading up to the event. The skiers were attempting their second run of the day when they decided to split into two groups. One of the skiers in the second group triggered the slide which then carried two of the skiers about 400 feet downhill. One skier was completely buried under 1 to 2 feet of snow, while the other skier was thrown into a large tree. Other party members carrying rescue equipment immediately began searching for the caught skiers. Both skiers were dug out of the snow and brought to the hospital in Montrose by rescue
Other notable avalanche events in Colorado
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.