14ers.com

https://coloradosun.com/2020/12/18/kebl ... ted-butte/

https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/ ... &accfm=rep

My condolences to family and friends.

Condolences. Stay safe everyone. Go read staying alive in avy terrain whether for the first time or the nth time.

He was a good dude. For all the talk of newbies this year, we just lost one who was almost 70- a former Highlands patroller from the 70's, and CB in the 80's, 90's, and beyond. He was quite the hiker/climber as well- he had done all the named 13ers and at least 20 20K+ peaks as well. He always skied solo- you could spot his tightly spaced turns on peaks from miles away. RIP

This is extremely sad. Condolences to the friends and family. Not a good weekend in the backcountry, there is another body recovery effort going on near "The Battleship" area in Silverton for two skiers.

onebyone wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:38 am http://crestedbuttenews.com/2014/01/profile-schnoid/

This article really makes his loss feel all the more tragic. RIP Schnoid.

And two more on Saturday near Ophir Pass.

https://www.9news.com/article/news/loca ... 1a866a91d9

Wentzl wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 12:27 pm And two more on Saturday near Ophir Pass.

https://www.9news.com/article/news/loca ... 1a866a91d9

In trying to figure out the area via an Internet search (the Battleship area is to the north of point 12,442), I came across this past CAIC accident report from 2019 in the same area:

https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/ ... acc_id=699

This was an interesting report because the two skiers who got caught in that slide (and survived) were going up the slope after it had slid but only three days earlier. As such, they assumed it was safe, but the report mentions conditions that loaded the slope in a short period of time. A lesson on assumptions...

DArcyS wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 2:36 pm

Wentzl wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 12:27 pm And two more on Saturday near Ophir Pass.

https://www.9news.com/article/news/loca ... 1a866a91d9

In trying to figure out the area via an Internet search (the Battleship area is to the north of point 12,442), I came across this past CAIC accident report from 2019 in the same area:

https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/ ... acc_id=699

This was an interesting report because the two skiers who got caught in that slide (and survived) were going up the slope after it had slid but only three days earlier. As such, they assumed it was safe, but the report mentions conditions that loaded the slope in a short period of time. A lesson on assumptions...

https://www.avalanche.state.co.us/caic/ ... &accfm=rep

CAIC: "We have avalanches every year, why is this different?
Colorado is the home of weak snow and avalanches are not uncommon. This year is worse. We haven’t seen conditions this bad since 2012. Although the avalanche conditions are not unprecedented, they are worse than many people are used to. People are using avalanche-safety strategies that have worked in recent years, but current conditions require additional caution."

That long dry spell in late November and early December was a perfect setup for a really crappy snowpack which will stick around until springtime.