Vanishing tracks found in avalanche path lead rescuers to man’s body in Colorado

A snowboarder was found buried in snow after a skiing guide spotted tracks vanishing into an avalanche’s path, Colorado officials said.

A skiing and snowboarding guide service was surveying in a helicopter near Ophir on Thursday, March 17, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The guide spotted a huge avalanche and tracks that entered its path but disappeared.

“He did a beacon search from the helicopter and got a signal,” officials said in an accident report. “Two guides were dropped on the debris field. They located the victim with a transceiver search.”

The backcountry snowboarder was caught and buried by the avalanche, officials said. He was buried in more than 6 feet of debris. The man did not survive the avalanche.

Officials did not identify the snowboarder.

On the same day, a 61-year-old skier died in Wyoming after getting caught in an avalanche. At least 15 people have died in avalanches in the U.S. since Dec. 11, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported as of March 21.

An avalanche can happen quickly and catch people by surprise. Avalanches can move between 60 mph and 80 mph and typically happen on slopes of 30-45 degrees, according to officials.

Skiers, snowmobilers and hikers can set off an avalanche when a layer of snow collapses and starts to slide down the slope.

Ophir is about 335 miles southwest of Denver.

This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 7:51 AM with the headline "Vanishing tracks found in avalanche path lead rescuers to man’s body in Colorado."