Reported avalanche event with injuries

I received a report of one person injured today (3/3/07) in the Echo Lake area of Colorado (near Idaho Springs, west of Denver) due to an avalanche. Reports are that the victim had head, shoulder, and rib injuries and was transported by helicopter to a hospital.

Be careful out there in the Colorado high country this weekend. Blue skies and tolerable temperatures will lure folks into the backcountry where areas of considerable avalanche danger exist on wind loaded N, E, and now S slopes near and above treeline.

One of my crew witnessed a remote-triggered avlanche on South Ptarmigan at Vail Pass today. Some guys had built a big booter and were about to hit it, when they triggered the LZ remotely from the ridge. He heard the slab go "boom", then looked up to see the slope go. We'll go up and try to do a crown profile tomorrow. I haven't seen the thing, but I was told it went 1-2 meters deep.

careful kids

thanks for the reports

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Originally Posted by Avalanche_Observer

I received a report of one person injured today (3/3/07) in the Echo Lake area of Colorado (near Idaho Springs, west of Denver) due to an avalanche. Reports are that the victim had head, shoulder, and rib injuries and was transported by helicopter to a hospital.

Be careful out there in the Colorado high country this weekend. Blue skies and tolerable temperatures will lure folks into the backcountry where areas of considerable avalanche danger exist on wind loaded N, E, and now S slopes near and above treeline.

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CAIC is reporting this as a fatality this morning.

From the Summit Daily News:

Loveland man killed in avalanche

DAILY NEWS STAFF REPORT
March 3, 2007

IDAHO SPRINGS — A 53-year-old Loveland man died Saturday after being buried up to his neck in an avalanche near Idaho Springs in the Echo Lake area, the Fox 31 News website reported Saturday evening.

The man, whose name has not been released, was snowshoeing with his girlfriend and their dog when he fell and was caught in the avalanche, the website said.
Authorities report that the man’s girlfriend was also 53 and from Loveland,
according to the website.

It is not clear if the man fell because of the avalanche or if his fall caused the avalanche, the website said.

Other hikers helped his girlfriend dig him out and they found that he was still breathing but had dramatically reduced vital signs. The group tried to keep the man warm as they used their cellphones to call for help, according to the website.

The website also said rescuers tried to send a helicopter to evacuate the injured man, but they were unable to land near the group and had to hike him out on foot.

Coroner's report: heart attack although trauma was sustained from the avalanche as well