Five dead in Colorado avalanche

[MileHigh]

Deadliest avalanche in the Colorado highcountry in more than 50 years.

Happened at the top of the very popular Loveland Pass. There's one survivor and it appears the snowboarders were skiing out of bounds. It's on the east side of the Divide, closer to Loveland Ski Area and just south of the Eisenhower-Johnson twin tunnels, 60 miles west of Denver.

The views on top of Loveland are spectacular. Driven over the pass numerous times and with lots of fresh snow the past month, it was, I'm sure, quite tempting for the boarders.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23070812/avalanche-kills-five-snowboarders-near-u-s-6

 

[MileHigh]

Jason Blevins did an absolutely fantastic job today of recounting what happened up there. Just a great job of reporting what I'm sure was not an easy assignment. The photos also are tremendous.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23074729/colorado-avalanche-victims-bash-tragic

 

[Roscablo]

When I read that earlier today the first thought that came to mind was how great the reporting was, especially with such a difficult topic.

Sounds like these guys knew what they were doing and were aware of the danger. Maybe they should have waited a week. Maybe just really bad luck. Regardless a terrible event.

 

[MileHigh]

Probably a little bit of both. But even after what happened, there were boarders hitchhiking up U.S. 6 today and going back down.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

A friend from college had his brother killed while skiing out of bounds about a decade ago... It's dangerous ****... Don't do it...

 

[Ace]

I have little sympathy for these guys. It's like deciding you want to skateboard on the freeway because the pavement is smoother.

 

[Bob Cook]

MileHigh, isn't there a whole, massive industry now behind backcountry skiing and snowboarding? I seem to remember that great New York Times multimedia piece about another group that was "expert" at doing the same thing, that ended in tragedy.

 

[MileHigh]

MileHigh, isn't there a whole, massive industry now behind backcountry skiing and snowboarding? I seem to remember that great New York Times multimedia piece about another group that was "expert" at doing the same thing, that ended in tragedy.

Certainly, backcountry skiing, boarding, snowshoeing has gotten a lot bigger in the past decade.

It's certainly not for the faint of heart, and you've got to be aware of things. It sounds like these guys were very aware and the slide was bigger than anyone probably could have imagined, but really, with how much snow has fallen in the past month, it's not completely surprising.

 

[Football_Bat]

I'm told all five victims were wearing avalanche beacons. Didn't do them much good unfortunately.

 

[MileHigh]

A friend from college had his brother killed while skiing out of bounds about a decade ago... It's dangerous ****... Don't do it...

Just FYI, they weren't out of bounds. They were above Loveland Ski Area and outside of its boundaries, but where they -- and hundreds of boarders and skiers every day/weekend there -- were on free, open federal land that is open to anyone who wants to hike to the top (or hitchhike) up U.S. 6 that goes over Loveland Pass. But the avalanche danger was high and warnings given.

 

[MileHigh]

Very detailed first-person account from one of the members of the group not caught in the avalanche but was one of the first on the scene to help with the rescue:

It should be known that many of the members of this group were extremely experienced and educated in backcountry travel. They had all of the necessary gear, and knowledge of traveling in avalanche terrain. Joe’s number one intention for this event was safety and the well being of all of the participants. He had organized it well, and made sure that other people in the group read the avalanche report that morning, and chose conservative routes of travel. There is no doubt in my mind that this was exactly what the group was trying to accomplish. No body was out there for an adrenaline rush, or getting “extreme.” This event was about traveling safely in the mountains with our friends, making new friends, and having fun.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/sports/2013/04/22/rescuer-loveland-pass-avalanche-colorado-5-snowboarders-dead/24485/

 

[Mystery Meat II]

I'm told all five victims were wearing avalanche beacons. Didn't do them much good unfortunately.

Oddly enough, I read the NYT backcountry avalanche story earlier today. One of the things that stuck out to me was when one of the skiiers (Jim Jack, I think), said something along the lines that avalanche beacons are for finding bodies, not saving people.

It's a hell of a read. Have yet to read the Pulitzer finalists it beat, but I can see why it won.