Avalanche Deaths In Colorado: Snowmobiler Dies Near Breckinridge

SUMMIT COUNTY, CO -- A snowmobile rider was killed by an avalanche Tuesday near Breckenridge, the Summit County Sheriff said. The incident happened between the "Middle Fork of the Swan and Georgia Pass," the sheriff's office tweeted. No further information was immediately available.

This is the third avalanche death in Colorado this winter season.

Veteran skier and member of the Mountain Rescue team John Galvin, 57, died Sunday skiing near Maroon Bowl in Aspen. Galvin and a friend were swept away as snow barreled down the mountain. the friend survived, but Galvin was thrown against a tree and died, reports said.

In January, a skier was killed by an avalanche in the San Juan Mountains near Silverton.

Nine avalanche accidents have been reported to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center so far this winter. Not all were fatal, but all involved humans caught in sliding mountains of snow.

This year's light snowpack combined with windy storms blowing new snowdrifts in the back country can lead to dangerous conditions, the CAIC said.

Wet snow on top of frozen deep snow can trigger small avalanches that can grow quickly, the CAIC weather report said.

"If you start to see small avalanches coming out of rocky terrain, roller balls and pinwheels, or slushy surface conditions more than about 6 inches deep, it's time to get out of avalanche terrain and out from underneath any overhead hazard, the report said Tuesday. "In favored areas, you could trigger a Wind Slab avalanche breaking 4 feet deep. Avoid those plump looking pillows tucked in below ridgetop or drifted into gully features."

Check the winter avalanche report before you venture into the snow here.

Image via Colorado Avalanche Information Center