The body of a Crested Butte man missing since last week was found Saturday buried in avalanche debris in an area of the backcountry that officials called “precarious” and “extreme.”
Crews found the body of Michael Bowen at about 2 p.m. Saturday under 3 to 4 feet of snow at the bottom of an avalanche path, according to Hank Smith, the Mount Crested Butte police chief.
On Wednesday, the 36-year-old Bowen, an avid snowboarder and skier, was out alone snowboarding the “happy chutes” on the east side of Mount Emmons. Friends reported him missing Thursday when he did not return.
“He frequently and routinely skied in precarious, extreme conditions, hundreds of times,” Smith said. “The ski area he was in could only be accessed by an expert.”
Crested Butte Search and Rescue began the search and requested help, avalanche dogs and explosives from the Crested Butte Mountain Resort ski patrol, with the approval of the Gunnison National Forest District.
“Snow-safety experts decided not to use the explosives because it would not have been effective,” Smith said.
Members of Western State College Search and Rescue and several community volunteers also helped in the three-day search.
“These are the worst avalanche conditions we’ve experienced this season,” Smith said.
Sally S. Ho: 303-954-1638 or sho@denverpost.com
