Avalanche — Flattop Mountains, Colorado
February 15, 2020 · NOAA Storm Events record
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
1
Property damage
—
Area
Flattop Mountains
Event narrative (NOAA)
A hard slab avalanche was unintentionally triggered by 3 motorized snow-bikers following a week of heavy, wind blown snow in the South Fork of Dickson Creek, east of Red and White Mountain. The avalanche was 3 to 4 feet in depth, 600 feet wide and debris ran for about 300 vertical feet. The avalanche was described a medium-sized and produced enough force to injure, bury, or kill a person. All 3 of the snow-bikers were trapped or partially buried. Only 1 survived.
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.