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Friend rescues skier from Berthoud avalanche |
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Tuesday, January 03, 2012 16:37 |
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Photo by Toni Leuthold
By KRISTEN LODGE, SKY-HI DAILY NEWS
A local backcountry skier triggered a 300-foot wide avalanche in Second Creek near Berthoud Pass on Sunday and lived to ski another day.
Witnesses reported that the slide was 400 feet from the crown. It took place around 1 p.m. Jan. 1.
The skier made six turns, then about 100 feet into the run, he triggered the slide and was buried up to his face, according to Greg Foley, public information officer for Grand County Search and Rescue. The skier was swept down and over at least one rock band, and then buried in the debris. He was able to yell for help loudly enough that a beacon search was not needed, but he was carrying one, Foley said.
“They had all the right gear,” Foley said.
A witness near the Second Creek cabin saw the avalanche and called 911.
Search and Rescue mobilized and activated the Flight For Life Avalanche Deployment Team, which responds by helicopter to backcountry avalanche emergencies with an avalanche technician, a search dog and a dog handler. However, they were not deployed because the skier was quickly rescued by his skiing partner, and only the medical helicopter Flight For Life was required.
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