Frightening situation for a Colorado ski mom who witnessed her son get caught in an avalanche Sunday in an area known as Dave’s Wave on Loveland Pass. CBS Denver reports the pair where on a mission to retrieve a piece of rappel gear they had left behind the day before when they rappelled to ski a chute locally known as Butt Crack.
The mother stayed in a safe zone to the side of the avalanche and was not caught. The son took an estimated 200 to 300 foot ride in the avalanche debris, including an uncontrolled cliff drop estimated at 50ft. It took the mother about 10 minutes to reach her son where she found him buried up to his waist with minor injuries.
The area is in the backcountry between Loveland Pass and the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. According to a Colorado Avalanche Information Center report from 2008 of an avalanche in that area, the run can be seen from the ski area and U.S. 6.
Summit County Rescue Group:
Crazy to hear this, the avalanche took the son over a cliff too, he got away with only bumps and bruises.
Mom is a physical therapist, able to treat any injury and dig him out (he was waist deep in snow.)
They self rescued, didn’t even need all the crews out here.
— Spencer Wilson (@Spencer_WNews) February 13, 2022
images from Summit County Rescue Group