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Avalanche — Gore And Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys, Colorado

January 22, 2012 · NOAA Storm Events record

Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
0
Property damage
—
Area
Gore And Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys

Event narrative (NOAA)

Five skiers entered the Prima Cornice area inside the Vail Ski Area boundary where unstable snow conditions were in place. Three of the skiers traversed a slope and were caught in a 200 foot-wide soft-slab avalanche which began at the 10,800 foot level and ran 400 vertical feet through a forested area on a 46 degree slope. Two skiers were partially buried and another tumbled outside of the debris field. One of the partially buried skiers died from injuries sustained in the avalanche.

Other notable avalanche events in Colorado

S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet · April 20, 20135 killedWest Elk And Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park / W Lake / W Chaffee / Wc To Ec Gunnison · February 6, 19993 killedNorthwestern San Juan Mountains · February 1, 20213 killedGore And Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys · March 13, 20072 killedS & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet · January 1, 20062 killedGore And Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys · March 17, 20002 killed

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.

Avalanche — Gore And Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys, Colorado, January 22, 2012 | DisasterAtlasUSA