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Avalanche — West Elk And Sawatch Mountains, Colorado

February 11, 2024 · NOAA Storm Events record

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

Event narrative (NOAA)

Avalanche danger on the day of the accident was rated at Moderate to Considerable. A group of backcountry skiers planned to ski a steep basin on the east end of Ohio Peak, known locally as The Playground. The group triggered several small avalanches remotely over the course of the day, before directly triggering several avalanches, one of which caught a party member and swept him downhill and buried him. This skier was found and extricated, but was severely injured and later died of these injuries.

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 killedNorthwestern San Juan Mountains · February 1, 20213 killedWest Elk And Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park / W Lake / W Chaffee / Wc To Ec Gunnison · February 6, 19993 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, February 11, 2024 | DisasterAtlasUSA