The skier who died Saturday after being buried in an avalanche near Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains was participating in an advanced avalanche safety course at the time he was killed.
All six skiers in the Silverton Avalanche School class were swept away by an avalanche they triggered in Upper Senator Beck Basin northwest of Silverton, . The first avalanche triggered a second one, burying one of the skiers in more than 8 feet of snow.
The others found the buried skier and dug him out, but he already was dead.
The skier, , was the first avalanche fatality this winter, according to the center.
“This tragic accident impacts all of us and our deepest condolences go out to the family,” Silverton Avalanche School staff said in a news release Monday. “Our No. 1 priority at this time is ensuring the safety and well being of the family of the victim and the students and staff involved in the accident.”
The skiers were participating in a three-day Level 2 avalanche class for “advanced recreational students” who already have completed previous safety classes,
The school noted in its release that this is the first fatality in the program’s history.
