Multiple Snowmobilers Caught by “Massive Avalanche” in Colorado

Multiple snowmobilers were caught in an avalanche on Gravel Mountain, near Granby, Colorado, on February 22, according to a report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC).

Three groups of sledders were out riding at the popular snowmobile spot on Saturday when the avalanche occurred.

Group 1, which was made up of four sledders, was climbing one by one towards a cornice and then riding off the cornice. Group 2 had been riding a slope just to the north, and Group 3 was at the bottom of the slope.

Three riders in Group 1 were positioned 10-15 feet back from the edge of the cornice, waiting for the 4th rider. Just as the 4th rider came over the top of the cornice, the group felt the cornice collapse below them.

Three of the riders were pulled from their sleds and fell over the edge of the cornice as the face avalanched. Two of the riders self-arrested on the slope, and the third rider was swept up in the debris and pulled his airbag, which helped his head stay above the snow as he was partially buried.

One of the riders in Group 2 did not see the avalanche and jumped off the cornice into the flowing debris pile. He was partially buried with his head above the snow. No one in Group 3 was caught or buried.

In total, four riders were caught in the avalanche. Two were partially buried, but no one was injured. Grand County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a “massive avalanche” and initiated a search and rescue response. The full report is available on the CAIC’s website.

The slide occurred on an east facing slope and was classified as a D2 hard slab avalanche that broke on a persistent weak layer. The Friends of Colorado Avalanche Information Center posted a video of the slide taken by bystanders to social media for educational purposes.

While no one was injured in this slide, there have been 14 avalanche-related deaths in the United States this season.