In a Colorado avalanche, one snowmobiler died and another was missing.

 

Authorities in Colorado reported that a 58-year-old man was murdered and another guy is missing after being hit by an avalanche in the north-central Rocky Mountains on Saturday.

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the two were traveling on snowmobiles when they were struck by a wave of snow on the east face of Mount Epworth in Grand County, about 6 miles east of Winter Park.

According to the Grand County Sheriff's Office, the avalanche was reported at around 2:15 p.m., and responding sheriff's deputies, search-and-rescue teams, ski patrol members, and local good Samaritans discovered the 58-year-old from northern Colorado buried in snow.

He was declared dead at the spot after they failed to revive him, according to a statement from the office. The county coroner was expected to reveal the man's identify later, it said.

The sheriff's office reported that because the other rider could not be found and the search had to be suspended as the weather grew worse. Rescuers intend to restart their operations on Sunday.

The 58-year-transceiver, old's which is used to broadcast the location of stranded or buried mountain visitors, according to the avalanche center, helped locate him.

The avalanche center reported that the missing man did not possess an avalanche transceiver.

The area experienced highs below 30 degrees and nightly lows in the single digits, according to the National Weather Service.

Avalanche center data show that three people have perished in avalanches in Colorado since December 26, with two of them occurring in Grand County.

In a statement, county sheriff Brett Schroetlin stated, "We advise those engaging in backcountry recreation to routinely monitor the conditions and heed the recommendations of our avalanche professionals at Colorado Avalanche Information Center."

A father and his adult son were backcountry skiing on New Year's Eve when they were hit by an avalanche close to Breckenridge Ski Resort, which is located roughly 65 miles south of Winter Park.

According to the Summit County Rescue Group, the father was able to free himself from the water, but his son was buried and his death was found about two hours later.

The avalanche center said that on December 26 an avalanche that was unintentionally started by a snowboarder at Berthoud Pass, some 55 miles west of Denver, struck four backcountry riders, including skiers and snowboarders. It stated that one of the two who were buried had passed away.

The avalanche center reported that among the passengers were a father who passed away and his three adolescent boys. According to NBC station KUSA of Denver, authorities later identified the father as Brian Bunnell, 44, of Lakewood, Colorado.

Pacific storms that are driven by an atmospheric river of precipitation brought in from tropical regions have regularly dusted the Rocky Mountains. Another such front was anticipated for Tuesday, the avalanche center stated.

In places that many backcountry skiers like, snow can accumulate. According to KUSA, both of the fatal avalanches in December took place in easily accessible locations.

According to Brian Lazar, deputy director of the avalanche center, "within ski area limits, we have extremely dedicated ski patrols and snow safety personnel that will work incredibly hard to mitigate dangers from avalanches inside ski area boundaries." "On the opposite side of the rope, nobody is working there,"

According to the avalanche center, seven of the 20 people caught in avalanches during the 2021–22 season died.