Summit County Citizens Voice

Twin avalanches pour down the face of the East Wall at Arapahoe Basin as ski patrollers blasted the area during routine avalanche control work.

Rescue officials urge backcountry users to report slides, even if nobody is caught or hurt

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — A search and rescue team investigated an avalanche high on the slopes of Tenderfoot Mountain, across Highway 6 from Keystone Ski Area, discovering that nobody was buried in the slide.

Ski patrollers at Arapahoe Basin first reported the avalanche Monday morning. With a scope, they noticed a fracture line with several sets of snowmobile tracks going into the area and none coming out. The early reports suggested the slide was fairly recent, so the observation triggered a call to the rescue group.

Dan Burnett, an avalanche expert with the Summit County Rescue Group, flew over the avalanche aboard a Flight for Life helicopter to take a closer look at the area. Burnett said the slide ran on a west-facing slope, probably loaded with new snow from Sunday’s windy storm. Burnett said the slide was about 40 yards wide and ran down the slope about 150 yards, with snow in the deposition zone about a foot deep.

“It wouldn’t really be possible for a snowmobile to be buried,” he said.

Anna DeBattiste, public information officer for the rescue group, encouraged backcountry travelers to call in and make a report if they trigger a slide. A simple call letting officials know that everyone is OK can help avoid the start of a needless search and rescue mission, she said.

“Nobody’s going to get in trouble for starting an avalanche in the backcountry,” she said.

DeBattiste suggested directly calling the ski patrol if the avalanche is near one of the local resorts, since ski patrollers are often the first to respond. Otherwise, backcountry travelers can call the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and leave a message, or call Summit County dispatch.

The avalanche center also has a simple online form for reporting avalanches at this link.

Providing accurate information about the location and circumstances is important to avoid confusion and misguided rescue efforts. In a mid-February avalanche on Loveland Pass, a full search and rescue team was deployed when bystanders reported a possible burial. At the same time, search and rescue officials say it’s best to err on the side of caution. Delaying a call for a search and rescue team can cause needless danger in a rescue, or unnecessarily complicate a search for a missing party. There is no charge for search and rescue missions in Colorado.

One of the best ways to support search and rescue efforts is to buy a $2 Colorado Search and Rescue (COSAR) card. Part of the money helps fund search and rescue equipment, and reimburses teams for expenses. The card is not insurance. County sheriffs and their search and rescue teams will respond to your emergency whether or not you have a COSAR Card.

Telephone numbers
Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol (970) 513-5760 or (970) 513-5729
Keystone Ski Patril (970) 496-3100
Breckenridge Ski Patrol (970) 496-7229 or (970) 496-7294
Copper Mountain ski Patrol (970) 968-3311
Colorado Avalanche Information Center (303) 499-9650
Summit County dispatch (970) 668-8600

Filed under: skiing and riding, Summit County Colorado Tagged: | avalanches, backcountry, Summit County Colorado, Summit County News, Summit County Rescue Group