Avalanche — Flattop Mountains, Colorado
2008-02-01 · Flattop Mountains, Colorado
1
Direct deaths
$1K
Property damage
Event narrative
Three snowmobilers were coming down Little Box Canyon on a groomed trail in the southwestern Flat Tops north of the town of Rifle. The first two riders noticed that the third was no longer behind them.
The pair turned around and headed up the canyon and found a fresh avalanche that had buried the third snowmobiler. Rescuers retrieved the victim's body about three hours after the avalanche occurred. The avalanche ran 300 feet down the steep slope and was 1.5 to 3 feet deep and 600 feet wide.
Wider weather episode
A heavy and unstable snowpack produced an avalanche onto a snowmobile trail.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 116742. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.