After her husband failed to check in as planned, a Colorado woman discovered that he had been engulfed by an avalanche.
The victim, Donald Moden Jr., aged 57, was an experienced skier and former member of the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team. He tragically lost his life on Jan. 7 in an avalanche at “Bollywood” near Red Mountain Pass, as reported by the Ouray County Plaindealer.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) stated in a report that Moden was buried for over four hours before he was recovered.
The avalanche was 800 feet wide and traveled 400 feet vertically, the agency wrote.
The head and toe of the Ouray County avalanche that killed Moden are right and left, respectively. (CAIC)
Moden skied on an adjacent slope a day earlier and probably did not see signs of dangerous snowpack, the CAIC said.
Moden’s death is the first reported avalanche fatality in Colorado this ski season. Since Nov. 9, the CAIC has reported 25 backcountry skiiers and travelers caught in 23 different avalanches.
Seven of those victims were buried in snow and debris. According to the Colorado Sun, those numbers are not notably higher than those in previous seasons.
