Yesterday, Wednesday Jan. 18th, an avalanche claimed the life of an Aspen local in the Burnt Mountain East sidecountry area of Snowmass Ski Resort. The avalanche occured around 1:45pm, below treeline on a NE aspect and ran about 25 yards into a gully. The victim, 43 year old Keith Ames was a longtime local and bartender in the Aspen area. Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the family and friends of Keith.
According to AspenDailyNews.com, “Ames dropped in from a ridge above, knocking loose a section of snow. When Ames came to rest at the bottom of the 25-yard-long section, the snow caught up to him and buried him. Bystanders on scene had to dig Ames out from the under the snow, which took approximately 10 minutes, while others on scene contacted 911. Snowmass Ski Patrol arrived on scene at 2:18 p.m. while CPR was being administered to Ames by the bystanders. At approximately 02:50 p.m., Ames was pronounced dead.”
Please stay safe out there and make smart decisions when heading into the backcountry. For more info on the incident and Colorado avalanche information, go to CAIC.com.