Two Fatal Avalanches Strike Rockies, Claiming Lives of Skier and Snowmobiler

Recent avalanches in Colorado and Wyoming highlight persistent dangerous conditions across the Western U.S., with seven fatalities this season.

A skier and a snowmobiler died in separate avalanches in the Rocky Mountains over a weekend, marking a grim start to February.
The skier was caught and buried by an avalanche in Colorado's Anthracite Range, known locally as 'The Playground', and despite rescue efforts, succumbed to injuries.
In Wyoming, two snowmobilers triggered an avalanche that resulted in one fatality, with the survivor performing CPR to no avail.
Experts attribute the dangerous conditions to an unstable layer at the bottom of the snowpack, a consequence of scant early season snowfall.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reports seven avalanche-related deaths in the U.S. this season, with an average of 27 fatalities annually over the past decade.