VAIL, Colo.—An avalanche killed a 27-year-old man while he was skiing outside the boundaries of Vail ski resort Friday morning, and experts say an approaching snow storm is likely to increase the danger of fresh slides.
Eagle County sheriff’s spokeswoman Shannon Cordingly says the Vail man was skiing with two companions when the avalanche hit. The other two survived and pulled the victim from the snow, but attempts to revive him failed.
His name has not been released.
Scott Toeper of the Colorado Avalanche Center said the danger is high because snow that fell in October has “become sugary and loose.” He said a recent warming trend helped solidify the snow near the top, but the foundation remains weak.
“The new snow will probably make things worse,” he said.
As much as three feet of snow is expected to fall in some mountain areas this weekend.
Cordingly says the trio was skiing in an area known as the East Chutes on Vail Pass and each carried locator beacons.
Vail Mountain Ski Patrol sent a team to the scene because they were nearby.
It was the 14th avalanche death this season in the nation.
