Man killed, 2 others injured in avalanche in Colorado
March 18, 2023 Updated Sat., March 18, 2023 at 9:17 p.m.

DENVER – An avalanche caught three backcountry tourers, killing one of them, southwest of Marble, Colorado, in Gunnison County on Friday.
The three men were snowboarding when the avalanche happened in upper Rapid Creek, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. One of the men hiked out of the area to get help, and the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office said the call came in just before 6 p.m.
Search and rescue teams evacuated the second man by helicopter on Friday. Both men were injured.
After the search resumed Saturday, rescue teams found the third man buried about 4 feet deep in avalanche debris, the center said. He was killed in the avalanche.
The center said the avalanche broke 2 to 3 feet deep and 300 to 500 feet wide. It ran 2,400 vertical feet.
The CAIC said Saturday morning there have been eight reports of people caught in or carried in avalanches, all on east- and southeast-facing slopes.
Local journalism is essential.
Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds.
Subscribe now to get breaking news alerts in your email inbox
Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens.