CAIC

Avalanche Details

Location: Rapid Creek, southwest of Marble
State: Colorado
Date: 2023/03/17
Time: 12:00 AM
Summary Description: 3 backcountry tourers caught, 2 injured, 1 buried and killed
Primary Activity: Backcountry Tourer
Primary Travel Mode: Ski

Number

Caught: 2
Fully Buried: 1
Injured: 2
Killed: 1

Avalanche

Type: --
Trigger: --
Trigger (subcode): --
Size - Relative to Path: --
Size - Destructive Force: --
Sliding Surface: --

Site

Slope Aspect: E
Site Elevation: --
Slope Angle: --
Slope Characteristic: --

Accident Summary

PRELIMINARY: An avalanche caught three backcountry tourers (two skiers and one splitboarder) in upper Rapid Creek, southwest of the town of Marble on Friday, March 17, 2023. Two members of the group were injured and one was completely buried in the avalanche. Rider 1 hiked out of the backcountry to get help. Medical and search and rescue teams evacuated Skier 1 by helicopter. Search and Rescue teams located Skier 2 buried about four feet deep in avalanche debris on Saturday, March 18. Skier 2 was killed in the avalanche. The avalanche released on an east-northeast aspect above treeline. It broke two to three feet deep, 300 to 500 feet wide, and ran 2400 vertical feet.

Groups involved in the included Gunnison County Sheriff's Office, Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Mountain Rescue Aspen, West Elk Rescue Group, Flight for Life, Careflight of the Rockies, and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> Approximate location of the fatal avalanche in Rapid Creek. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/ydglsidtmmsw71gnei9fnoopn209?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=1f96aad681b15faaefd53c26e0ffffa9','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> The avalanche starting zone. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/50r85ra4r4sx32qb28l7er5jqr72?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=392bd0bdc2e6e0c10d09e1b4734f5980','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> The avalanche from below. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/58uz0ec6ffb4dn4hg5devfdd1s58?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=3ce2524989efad38827f37fd8058702f','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)