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Avalanche — West Elk And Sawatch Mountains, Colorado

January 13, 2013 · NOAA Storm Events record

Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
0
Property damage
—
Area
West Elk And Sawatch Mountains

Event narrative (NOAA)

The last in a group of 4 skiers triggered a shallow avalanche along a slope favorable for releases due to a weakened snow pack. This shallow slide triggered a larger avalanche that broke to the surface. This larger avalanche carried the skier approximately 250 vertical feet down to the valley floor where he was fully buried. The remaining skiers performed search and rescue operations and found the buried skier about 10 minutes after the avalanche. The skier was unable to be revived.

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 — West Elk And Sawatch Mountains, Colorado, January 13, 2013 | DisasterAtlasUSA