MT. BETHEL, Colorado — On April 8th a Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) avalanche forecaster was caught and partially buried in an avalanche on a northeast slope of Mt Bethel at around 11,800 feet. The man made an SOS call and two CAIC staff and Alpine Rescue Team were dispatched to provide help. Thankfully the forecaster did not sustain any major injuries. Read the incidents reports from CAIC and Alpine Rescue Team below:
As noted in an earlier post today from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center – CAIC, ART was alerted very late Monday afternoon to rescue an injured avalanche forecaster on Mount Bethel.
It was almost dark when the first Colorado Avalanche Information Center – CAIC staff and ART members reached the injured forecaster. The first rescuers traveled on skis climbing 1500 vertical ft to the accident site. A bit later, just as the sun set a Flight For Life Colorado helicopter (Life Guard 1) made two trips ferrying in a few more rescuers and additional equipment to a spot about a quarter mile away. The injured forecaster was quickly placed in a protective hypothermia (aka “burrito”) wrap and put into a carbon-fiber rescue toboggan for the long evacuation down steep slopes and thick timber to the valley floor.
In the valley the Herman Gulch trail led down to the parking lot along I-70. Shortly after 10 pm the forecaster was handed over to Clear Creek EMS for a ride to a hospital. Big thank yous to Colorado Avalanche Information Center – CAIC, Flight For Life Colorado, Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and Clear Creek EMS for helping us in this rescue.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center – CAIC
On April 8, a CAIC forecaster was caught and partially buried in an avalanche on a northeast slope of Mt Bethel, around 11,800 ft, two valleys east of the Eisenhower Tunnel. He initiated an SOS call, and two CAIC staff and Alpine Rescue Team went into the field to provide help. Thankfully, he did not sustain any major injuries.
This incident highlights that even risk management planning does not eliminate the inherent risk of working in a backcountry environment. To help mitigate this risk while still maintaining an effective working environment, CAIC has a field safety program that outlines procedures to increase staff safety while working in the field. CAIC staff followed all safety protocols: The CAIC forecaster was fully aware of the current avalanche conditions, had the proper training, and was carrying appropriate safety equipment.
Just as we do with incidents involving members of the public, we will investigate this event so that we can learn from it. In the coming days, we will share more about this incident. In the meantime, we are wishing our forecaster a speedy recovery.
Thank you to Alpine Rescue Team, Clear Creek EMS, and Flight For Life Colorado for their help with this response.
