© CAIC.Climax Chutes area of Mount Emmons, near Crested Butte. The approximate location of the avalanche accident is circled in red.
According to emergency rescue personnel, the victim was carried into the trees where he sustained traumatic injuries. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center website stated he was "in very steep northeast facing terrain" when he was caught in a wet slab. He was not buried by the slide. Friends on scene attempted resuscitation for an extended period of time.
According to Crested Butte Fire Protections District chief Rob Weisbaum, CB Search and Rescue, the CBFPD, The Mt. Crested Butte police department and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center personnel were on scene.
"We sent an initial crew to the area to evaluate the situation and assess the risks involved and the status of the patient," he explained. "We were able to maintain contact with the parties involved via cell phone. Trauma cardiac arrests in the backcountry setting are not survivable.
The accident occurred about 10:45 Tuesday morning. Four people were in the ski party and only was caught in the slide.
More details will be in this week's Crested Butte News.
Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim.
1) Folks would be at resorts;
2) The back country avalanche prevention folks would have been more on the ball than they have been. (Their bureaucratic thought process seems to be the same as all the idiots 'hoping 'lockdown violators' will die,' leading to slacker than normal back country control.)
R.C.