- A father and son went skiing in Breckenridge, CO Saturday and got caught in an avalanche.
- The father was able to free himself and called 911, but his son was found dead two hours later.
- Deadly avalanches are becoming more common as a result of climate change.
A father was unable to help rescue his son after the two were swept up in an avalanche while skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado.
The two had been backcountry skiing at some 11,600 feet, when, at 1 p.m., packed snow cascaded down the side of the mountain, partially burying the father and fully burying the son, according to a Colorado Avalanche Information Center report released Sunday.
The father was able to free himself and searched for his son to no avail. He moved to find cell service and called 911, but his son was found dead by a rescue dog at 3 p.m. after authorities arrived, the report stated.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
The two skiers’ names were not publically released, but the Denver Post identified them as father and son.
The son was one of two to die this season in an avalanche, according to the information center.
Deadly avalanche accidents in Colorado are bound to become more common in the changing climate, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center Ethan Greene told CBS in November, because there is greater fluctuation in temperature throughout the ski season, so there are more “rain-on-snow” events even during the coldest months of the year, making avalanches more likely.
While avalanches used to be common for a specific and narrow period of time each year, they are now happening throughout the season, according to CBS’ report.
