Press Release

For Immediate Release

One dead after avalanche strikes three skiers outside of Aspen Highlands Ski Area

DATE OF INCIDENT: 03/19/2023

DEPUTY IN CHARGE: Sergeant Dustin Gray

CASE NUMBER: 23P002975

Pitkin County, Colorado – 03/19/2023 – Today, at approximately 1:27 PM, Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center (PCREDC) received a call from the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol reporting a large out of bounds avalanche in Maroon Bowl, with three skiers likely caught in the slide. Maroon Bowl is a west facing slope outside of the Aspen Highlands Ski Area that drains into the Maroon Creek Valley. Shortly after receiving this call, Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol reported that only one of the skiers had been buried by the avalanche.

Due to the remaining avalanche danger, Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol was not able to send Ski Patrollers down to the location of the three skiers. Based on this information, Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) was notified of a need for rescuers. By approximately 2:15 PM, rescuers from MRA were staged on Maroon Creek Road, preparing to enter the field. However, due to the continued avalanche danger, it was decided to utilize air rescue resources to access the involved skiers. At that time, PREDC confirmed that they were in telephone contact with one of the skiers who reported that they were uninjured, had uncovered the buried skier and had started CPR. At 2:25 PM, Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol reported that they were in verbal contact with the third skier and were working on getting them to hike far enough up the mountainside that they could get a rope down to the single skier and help pull that individual uphill and into the ski area. This skier would later be successfully rescued by Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol.

During this time, helicopter resources from Care Flight of the Rockies, Flight for Life, and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) were called upon to assist in this rescue. However, due to excessive slope angles on the mountainside, Care Flight and Flight for Life were unable to land in the vicinity of the involved skiers.

At 4:15 PM, PREDEC confirmed that the uninjured skier had stopped performing CPR on the previously buried skier. At 4:36 PM, the DFPC helicopter was able to insert two MRA rescuers at their location. The MRA rescuers then confirmed that the skier was deceased. At 4:45 PM the DFPC helicopter retrieved the deceased skier and the uninjured skier and flew them to the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. The two MRA rescuers were then able to safely ski down to Maroon Creek Rd. By 5:30 PM all rescue personnel had safely made it out of the field.

Each of the three skiers involved in this avalanche had avalanche safety training and were carrying and using avalanche safety equipment. The identity of the deceased skier is being withheld pending necessary notifications and the completion of the coroner’s investigation.

The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office and Mountain Rescue Aspen would like to thank the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol, Care Flight of the Rockies, Flight for Life, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control and the Aspen Hope Center for their assistance during and after this difficult rescue and recovery.

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