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First Avalanche Casualty Of The Season

December 6, 2005

A 32-year-old man became the first victim to be killed in an avalanche this season while he was crossing Berthoud Pass on Sunday.

According to police, the victim has been identified as Samuel Raymond Teetzen. Teetzen was with two other snowboarders when they triggered an avalanche on the northwest side of Mine Peak.

The other two snowboarders were not injured in the avalanche but it took rescue crews about two hours to finally reach his body.

During the rescue attempt, a second avalanche was triggered but did not result in any injury.

According to a spokesman from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, this particular avalanche was pretty significant in size, with ice falling 1,500 vertical feet.

The Mines Peak Area is known for being the scene of slides in the past.

Although avalanches are considered serious, most reports of them do not come until later in the season. The recent snow threw the snowboarders off.

Until it fully appears to be winter, many people do not treat the risk of avalanches seriously, said a park ranger.

The first casualty of the ski season caused by avalanches came early but it is still to be seen if the number reaches the same as last season, five.