A backcountry skier died on Sunday after getting buried in an avalanche near Cameron Pass.
Winter in Colorado’s high country comes with fun and games, but it also comes with threats and dangers. Unfortunately, the dangers presented themselves this past Sunday. On Sunday, December 8, there was a shallow but wide avalanche near Cameron Pass, which is west of Estes Park.
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CAIC:Statewide Info@COAvalancheInfoOn Sunday December 8, a backcountry skier was caught and fully buried in an avalanche on south Diamond Peak. The avalanche was described as 2 to 3 feet deep, very wide, and running close to 500 feet vertically. This is the first person killed in an avalanche this season in CO.
It’s the first death from an avalanche this season in Colorado, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). The avalanche happened at south Diamond Peak at 11,400 feet, where there was a “moderate” risk for avalanches.
“The avalanche was described as 2 to 3 feet deep, very wide, and running close to 500 feet vertically,” a preliminary report states.
CAIC said there have been at least 185 reported avalanches in the state so far this season.
The victim’s identity has not been released, but we know it was a 29-year-old woman from Fort Collins. According to information released by the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and the CAIC, several skiers nearby attempted to dig her out from the snow.
A 911 call was made to first responders at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday. She was pronounced dead on the scene. Rescuers from the Sheriff’s Office and Jackson County have since recovered her body.