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Skier Buried In Avalanche Rescued By Colleagues

FRISCO, Colo. (CBS4) -- A backcountry skier was caught in an avalanche Friday near Searle Pass and required the help of friends to survive it, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported.

The unidentified skier was completely buried in the slide, located in the Guller Creek drainage about a mile west of the Copper Mountain ski resort.

Searle Pass Avy 1 (CAIC)
(credit: Colorado Avalanche Information Center)

Other members of the group came to the skier's aid. All skied out of the area and back to the trailhead.

The CAIC report did not include details of the rescue, but did describe the slide as a "hard slab avalanche (that broke) on weak layers near the ground."

Several other avalanches have been reported around the state, but one of them occurred in a popular area for backcountry skiers - the Mushroom Bowl in the East Vail Chutes. It is believed the slide happened early Saturday.

A Youtube video recorded the aftermath.

The CAIC increased the avalanche danger in seven of the 10 Colorado regions Saturday.

 

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