Avalanche — Southwestern San Juan Mountains, Colorado
February 25, 2023 · NOAA Storm Events record
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
2
Property damage
—
Area
Southwestern San Juan Mountains
Event narrative (NOAA)
Two backcountry skiers unintentionally triggered an avalanche on a northwest-facing slope near Vallecito Reservoir. The avalanche was 12 to 30 inches deep and about 200 feet wide at the crown face. It ran about 300 vertical feet through a burn scar, stumps, small aspens, and thick willows. Both of the skiers were buried and did not survive. The time of the avalanche is unknown, but occurred sometime during the mid morning hours.
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.