SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — A person reported missing Saturday evening was found dead in avalanche debris near Copper Mountain, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
Rescue crews were notified Saturday evening of a missing snowmobiler in the Boss Basin area along Resolution Creek, a few miles west of Copper Mountain and south of Ptarmigan Pass.
Summit County Rescue Group, Vail Mountain Rescue, and the Summit and Eagle County sheriff’s offices responded to the area. Crews located an avalanche site along with ski and snowmobile tracks leading into the slide path, according to CAIC.
Search efforts resumed early Sunday with assistance from Flight For Life. Rescue teams located the person deceased in the avalanche debris. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity. CAIC staff planned to visit the avalanche site Sunday to gather more information about the incident.
The avalanche marks the first fatal slide reported during the 2025–26 winter season in Colorado, according to CAIC records. During the previous season, three avalanche deaths were reported in the state, including one in January 2025 and two in February 2025.
The incident comes after a late-week storm brought fresh snowfall across Colorado’s mountains. The National Weather Service reported roughly eight inches of snow in the area near the avalanche, with some locations such as Berthoud Pass receiving up to 18 inches.
