Two skiers were swept over a small cliff band by an avalanche in Colorado’s backcountry earlier this week, according to a report shared on the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s website, showing that, despite the time of year, moving snow can still be dangerous.
The CAIC, in a post on social media, said that no one was seriously hurt in the avalanche, which happened in the Dragon’s Tail Couloir in Rocky Mountain National Park around 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Per the report, the two skiers skinned to the Couloir before going ahead on foot. About a third of the way up, they decided to ski back down and began putting their gear on. That’s when the avalanche hit them, carrying them down the slope.
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Colorado Avalanche Information Center
The first skier stopped higher up, remained on the surface of the snow, and was uninjured. The second skier tried to deploy their avalanche airbag but couldn’t get to the handle, according to the report. After the avalanche, they were left with a dented helmet and a cut on their upper lip.
Both skiers made it out of the backcountry without help.
The incident followed a late-season storm in Colorado that dumped feet of snow and elevated the danger of avalanches in many places. Ahead of the storm, the CAIC warned that the danger would reach level four of five, or “high,” in some northern forecasting areas above treeline. Danger levels that high in May are rare, according to the CAIC.
“While it may be late in the snow season, this storm is impacting some of Colorado’s most accessible and heavily traveled backcountry terrain,” the organization said in an advisory. “New snow falling on existing spring snowpack will create dangerous avalanche conditions, particularly near and above treeline.”
As clearer, more spring-like weather has settled in, the danger has gradually decreased. But skiers, before heading into the backcountry, should still check the CAIC’s website—which is still publishing daily avalanche forecasts this month—and stay aware.
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