Two men riding snowmobiles are buried and killed in fatal avalanche on Colorado mountain
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Two men died in a fatal avalanche on Saturday, bringing to four the number of people who have died in the Colorado mountains this season.
Two snowmobiles were trapped in the avalanche before being buried under 15 inches of impassable snow on the east face of Mount Epworth near the town of Winter Park.
Grand County sheriff’s deputies were only able to locate one body before dark Saturday, but are expected to continue their search today.
The 58-year-old man they were able to locate was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to the Grand County Coroner’s Office.
Mike Duffy, who helped with the rescue efforts, shared an image of his team helping find the men on the east face of Mount Epworth, near the town of Winter Park.
Grand County sheriff’s deputies were only able to locate one body before dark Saturday, but are expected to continue their search today.
Bystanders and emergency services attempted to give him CPR, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center said: “On January 7, 2023, at about 2 p.m., two snowmobiles were trapped, buried, and killed in a large avalanche on the east face of Mount Epworth, about 6 miles east. of Winter Park.
‘Another group in the area was able to locate one of the cyclists with a transceiver. They did CPR, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The second cyclist was not carrying an avalanche transceiver. Grand County Sheriff’s Deputies and Grand County Search and Rescue were unable to locate the second bicyclist before dark.
They also said this was the fourth death in the mountains this season, the first being on December 26, then December 31 and now two on January 7.
Continuing its stern warning, the center added: ‘Colorado’s snowpack is currently very dangerous and will remain so for many weeks to come. You are unlikely to get obvious signs of instability like natural avalanches, cracks, and collapses.
The emergency services shared images of the rescue efforts, but confirmed that the two men died after the avalanche. This brings the total deaths to four in the Colorado mountains this season.
‘Slab breaking like glass and thick blocks of snow dragging you into an unsurvivable avalanche could be the first sign of instability you have.
‘The most dangerous slopes face east, where the winds have blown thick slabs, but there are weak layers in most aspects. Many slopes are activated remotely or from a distance.
“During this period of very serious consequences, avoid being on, under, or near slopes greater than 30 degrees, unless you know there is not a weak layer below you.”
Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said in a news release, “Unfortunately, this is the second fatal avalanche we have experienced this season in Grand County.
‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims. We encourage those who play our course to regularly monitor conditions and follow the advice of our avalanche professionals at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC).’
Mike Duffy, who runs motorized avalanche classes, said his team encountered the avalanche and quickly joined relief efforts to find the two men.
He wrote: ‘Debris from the avalanche ended up in Pumphouse Lake. The students did an amazing job and were looking for a transceiver within a minute of being on stage. The students jumped into the water to discover and pull out one of the buried men.
‘When the avalanche hit the lake, it dropped the ice and we had water on top of the ice. Grand County Search and Rescue arrived on the scene very quickly and handled CPR. The debris was very deep in some areas and a 300 cm probe would not touch the ground.
Nick (left) Feinstein and his father Andy (right) Feinstein were outdoorsmen who enjoyed camping, hiking, fishing and skiing together. Nick died in the mountains of Colorado on December 31.
A team of nearly two dozen rescuers and canine teams were on the scene in Breckenridge shortly after the avalanche; two hours after the snow fell, a canine team found Nick’s body.
In addition to his parents, Nick is survived by his younger sister, Rachel, with whom he was close.
‘I estimated that the debris was 15 inches deep in some places. The probe line was unable to find the person without a transceiver. Coordination and teamwork with Search and Rescue went very well. It was good to work with such good people.
“The wind was picking up, visibility was getting worse and it was getting dark. For the safety of everyone involved, we had to stop looking. Thanks to everyone who helped.
‘Condolences to both families and friends. Very sad day in the mountains. Please stay out of the area as recovery efforts continue tomorrow.”
This comes just five days after the son of a university president was killed on New Year’s Eve in an avalanche that occurred while he was cross-country skiing with his father.
Nick Feinstein, 22, and his father Andy Feinstein were trapped in an avalanche near Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado, in an area known as The Numbers, on December 31.
Both men were nature lovers and experienced skiers.
The avalanche occurred at approximately 1 pm last Saturday, burying Nick and partially burying his father, who is president of the University of Northern Colorado.
Andy was able to get out of the snow and ski to an area with cell phone reception to call 911 at 1:40 p.m.
A team of more than 20 rescuers and search dogs descended on the area to search for Nick. A dog team recovered his body shortly after 3 pm in about three feet of snow.
Andy was able to get out of the snow and ski to an area with cell phone reception to call 911 at 1:40 p.m.
A team of more than 20 rescuers and search dogs descended on the area to search for Nick. A dog team recovered his body shortly after 3 pm in about three feet of snow.