A snowmobiler died Tuesday in an avalanche east Wolf Creek Pass in southwest Colorado. It was the third avalanche death in the state this winter.
Recent storms have dropped a lot of new snow all over Colorado. In the southwest part of the state, snowpack is 130 percent above normal. And after Tuesday's storms, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center issued an avalanche warning for the central and southern mountains.
From the Colorado Avalanche Information Center report:
On February 2, 2016, a group of four snowmobilers departed from the Tucker Ponds trailhead east of Wolf Creek Pass. At approximately 4 PM, the group was snowmobiling in the Lost Mine Creek drainage between Campo Mollino and Park Creek. During the course of their ride, two members of the group were caught in an avalanche. One rider was partially buried and the other was completely buried.
The group left the scene to go for emergency assistance. They obtained cell coverage and placed a call to 911 at approximately 6 PM. Local riders, personnel from the Wolf Creek Ski Area, and Mineral and Rio Grand County Sheriff's Offices all participated in the search and rescue effort.
