WINTER PARK – A backcountry skier was killed in an avalanche in Colorado on Saturday, becoming the fourth person to die in a slide in the state in just over a week.
The man was found buried in an avalanche near Berthoud Pass after relatives reported him overdue, the Grand County Search and Rescue said. Search team members found a recent avalanche and a pair of goggles before finding the skier buried in the snow, the group said.
The slide happened in an area known as Chimney Chute, a steep, narrow, chute that is below tree line, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said.
Three people died in two separate avalanches last week.
Two experienced backcountry skiers – Albert Perry, 55, and Dr. Jeff Paffendorf, 53, both of Durango – died after being caught in an avalanche on Dec. 19 near Ophir Pass in southwestern Colorado’s San Juan Mountains.
The day before, another skier described as very experienced was buried in an avalanche near Ohio Pass west of the ski resort town of Crested Butte, becoming the first person to die in an avalanche in Colorado this season.
Experts say that Colorado’s snowpack is the weakest it has been since 2012 and poses risks not seen in recent years.
