It’s a fundamental truth that one man’s good news is unfailingly another man’s bad news.
Such is the case with the generous snowfall that has blanketed the mountains and valleys of Colorado.
It’s wonderful news for those who look to the snowpack for water come spring when the snow melts. But as the avalanche danger rises, these deep drifts pose peril for those who enjoy backcountry recreation.
Already, there have been several avalanches in the high country. With warmer weather in the forecast, we hope those who snowboard, ski, hike and ride snowmobiles in the backcountry will be extra careful.
Last week, a Minnesota man was buried alive by an avalanche on Gravel Mountain in the Arapaho National Forest near Grand Lake.
Four other snowmobilers saw the slide and dug him out from under three feet of snow. Fortunately, the man suffered only a dislocated shoulder.
Also last week, one snowmobiler was killed in a slide in Utah. Another lost his life in an avalanche in Wyoming’s Snowy Range.
If you’re heading for such an adventure, experts say it’s imperative that you carry a shovel, a snow probe and an avalanche beacon.
And let’s keep in mind that activating an avalanche beacon is serious business. That was a lesson learned recently by six college-age students staying at a hotel in Bozeman, Mont.
One set off a personal locator beacon, possibly trying to locate each other, according to a news story in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Instead, a distress signal went out to authorities.
As avalanche conditions reach their peak this winter season, we hope outdoor enthusiasts will take the proper equipment with them and use it wisely.
It would be great news all around if the year’s big snowfalls are remembered for the fun and water they provide and not as a backdrop for tragedy.
