Five snowboarders were killed Saturday afternoon in an avalanche on Loveland Pass in Colorado.
The victims were identified as 32-year-old Christopher Peters, of Lakewood; 32-year-old Joseph Timlin, of Gypsum; 33-year-old Ryan Novack, of Boulder; 36-year-old Ian Lanphere, of Crested Butte; and 33-year-old Rick Gaukel, of Estes Park---according to Clear Creek County Sheriff Don Krueger.
There was also a sixth snowboarder in the group who escaped the slide that was an estimated 600 feet wide and eight feet deep, called for help and the bodies of the fellow boarders were recovered several hours later---Krueger said. The condition of the sixth member remains unknown at the time of this posting.
All of the victims were reportedly outfitted with avalanche beacons.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center transmitted a warning to skiers and hikers Sunday, explaining a high risk for perilous backcountry conditions.
Krueger also said that authorities are almost certain that the snowboarders caused the avalanche---a slide that traveled about 1,100 feet.
Experts say that dangerous weather conditions are not unusual for the pass that is situated 60 miles west of Denver and elevated at about 11,990 feet.
Forecaster from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Spencer Logan, said that weak layers in the area's snowpack have been observed since early January.
"Our last series of storms made them more active again," he said.
"Over the last week and a half, that area got over 18 inches of snow, so if you melted that that would be 2 inches of water, so that is a heavy load."
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Source: The Associated Press