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Backcountry skier dies in avalanche near Rocky Mountain National Park

An avalanche on Diamond Peak buried and killed a backcountry skier on Sunday afternoon, marking the first avalanche death of the season in Colorado.

The skier, a 29-year-old woman from Fort Collins, was dug out by other members of her group, but she wasn’t breathing, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the avalanche was 2-3 feet deep, very wide and close to 500 feet vertically.



The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. An official cause of death and her identity will be released by the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.

CAIC staff plan to visit the site today and update their report.



Avalanche danger in the Front Range region, which includes Rocky Mountain National Park, is rated as considerable by the CAIC.

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