Colorado’s first fatal avalanche of the season occurred under a somewhat uncommon set of circumstances.
Dr. Peter Harrelson, 67, a longtime Ophir resident and highly experienced backcountry snowboarder, was riding alone on Jan. 22 in Waterfall Canyon when he was caught in an avalanche. When the debris stopped moving, Harrelson was only partially buried.
Although he suffered “traumatic injuries,” he was able to excavate himself. He walked about 500 feet from the toe of the debris, where his body was found by rescuers the next morning.
The cause of death was trauma, secondary to exposure, said San Miguel County Coroner Emil Sante.
In the final report on the incident, Colorado Avalanche Information Center investigators noted it was possible that a communication device of some sort could have changed the outcome of the incident.
“If he had had his radio in his backpack, he could have called for help and probably could have survived this,” Sante said, concluding that Harrelson may not have died from his injuries had it not been for the exposure to the elements.
Radios and satellite communication devices, as well as other outdoor recreation technology, are getting better and better, said Jeff Sparhawk, executive director of the Colorado Search and Rescue Association.
Some people explore the backcountry to escape technology, he said, whereas others would rather explore with it.
“We have no position on what technology anybody should use,” he said. “However, when their enjoyable day turns into potentially the worst day of their life, then we step in. And how can we most effectively assist them when they need help? Having communication is super helpful for us.”
Last summer, CSAR announced the designation of Channel 3 (462.61250 MHz) on family radio service devices, such as a BCA Link, Rocky Talkies or other basic radios as the default communication channel during backcountry search and rescue scenarios.
The channel is not monitored and should not be considered an alternative to contacting emergency services by cellphone or satellite device.
However, it is considered a default channel for all parties once an alert has been made. If the injured party does not have a device with which to contact emergency services, Channel 3 may also be used to contact nearby parties who could contact rescuers.
The program is too new to have a measurable impact on rescues, Sparhawk said. The primary use of radios, at least during winter, is still within a group of recreators, said Ethan Greene, executive director of the CAIC.
The best way to survive an avalanche is, of course, not to get caught in one. And that often requires planning and constant intergroup communication in response to ongoing evaluation of the conditions.
“I think that can happen pretty easily without radios in certain situations, but becomes quite difficult in other situations,” Greene said. “Adding radios into that mix, hopefully it doesn’t necessarily replace anything, but it allows a process that’s already happening to continue in an easier, and in a lot of cases more productive way.”
In some areas, backcountry organizations have created maps designating specific sub-channels for specific recreation zones. The maps allow those in a certain area to communicate with one another on a common channel.
The Telluride Mountain Club launched the first such program during the 2014-15 winter season, and revamped it this year.
Director of the Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund at TMC Chris Dickson said the program has been directly responsible for saving multiple lives, including one in an avalanche last year right near where Harrelson died.
In a relatively small community of backcountry users who recreate in common areas, the level of buy-in necessary for a common channels program to work has been easily attainable. In Ophir, several people monitor the common channel for the valley at home most of the time, Dickson said, meaning that had Harrelson called for help, a prompt response may have been possible.
“It does require big, widespread community buy in,” he said.
That can be challenging in popular areas, such as Red Mountain Pass, that attract users from all over the region.
La Plata and San Juan counties don’t have such a program. However, La Plata County Search and Rescue members have recently started carrying FRS radios tuned to Channel 3 when they are in the field, said organization President Ron Corkish (although the channel should still not be considered an alternative to a 911 call).
LPCSAR hasn’t made duplicating TMC’s program a priority, Corkish said, because they aren’t sure what the return on investment would be. And often, the people who are the best prepared are the ones least likely to end up needing the radios he noted.
However, he summed up all the experts’ advice succinctly: “There’s always a need for communication.”
rschafir@durangoherald.com
