Two snowmobilers from Iowa were killed Sunday by an avalanche near Rocky Mountain National Park, marking the first snow-related deaths of the year.
The two men, whose identities weren’t released, were part of a snowmobiling group riding in the Cameron Pass area near Trap Lake. The two were “high-marking” – riding a snowmobile as high up a snow face as possible without tipping over – when the slide occurred about 11:15 a.m., said Larimer County sheriff’s spokeswoman Eloise Campanella.
“We believe the others in the group were watching them do this when the accident occurred and then some went for help, and the others tried to dig them out,” she said.
Two hours later, the two men were confirmed dead.
The National Weather Service reported blizzard conditions in that area around the time of the slide. The weather conditions made communication with officials at the scene difficult, Campanella said, and details remained sketchy.
The avalanche reportedly occurred 4½ miles from Colorado 14 in the Long Draw area. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center had noted that the chance of an avalanche was considerable because it was categorized as a “high danger” area, said the group’s associate director, Nick Logan.
“In that case, a natural avalanche is possible, and a human- triggered one is probable,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of fresh snow recently and a lot of open areas where snow has drifted from the winds. Those hard slabs can be broken by the weight of a person or a snowmobile.”
The latest slide brings the number of avalanche accidents since this time last year to 15, with nine deaths, according to data from the center’s website. Two weeks ago, an 18-year- old snowshoer from Colorado Springs died in an avalanche in Clear Creek County south of Interstate 70 near Bakerville.
Since 1950, avalanches have killed more people in Colorado than any other natural hazard, and in the United States, Colorado accounts for a third of all avalanche deaths, according to the avalanche center.
Snowmobilers who high-mark ride as far up a steep slope as possible, and when they begin to lose power and traction, they turn into a wide and high arc before careening downhill. The rider with the highest mark on the hill wins.
The game has been known to trigger slides.
“Most likely, if a person is high-marking and an avalanche occurs, it’s triggered by the person on the slope,” Logan said.
To avoid being caught in an avalanche, Logan recommends calling one of the center’s seven hotlines for condition updates and staying away from steep, snow- covered slopes. Those who enjoy steep terrain should carry rescue gear and never expose more than one person to a possible risk, he said.
Staff writer Karen Crummy can be reached at 303-820-1594 or kcrummy@denverpost.com.
