‘TRIGGERED’

Avalanches in Colorado Wreak Weekend Havoc, Killing 2 People

It was a deadly weekend for skiers in Colorado.

Two people are dead and several more have been injured after two avalanches struck Colorado. The body of 36-year-old Joel Shute was recovered 4 feet deep in debris Saturday after a large avalanche hit upper Rapid Creek on Friday, “completely burying” Shute and injuring two others—a skier and a splitboarder—in the process, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center confirmed. The splitboarder, who uses a snowboard that splits into halves, was able to hike back for help. Then, at around 1 p.m. on Sunday, three skiers “triggered and were caught” in a large avalanche in Maroon Bowl outside the Aspen Highlands Ski Area. One of the skiers was buried and killed. Their identity has not yet been released. The Pitkin County Sheriff said that while the two other skiers were caught in the avalanche, they were able to self-extricate. One of the uninjured was able to uncover the buried skier and attempt CPR. A Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control helicopter was eventually able to rescue the uninjured skier and transport the body of the other, while the third skier was rescued by Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol. Maroon Bowl is a steep northwest-facing slope, and the avalanche broke about 200 feet wide and ran about 2,000 vertical feet, officials said. This season, nine people have already died from avalanches, compared to seven last year.