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Deceased skier's body recovered and two survivors rescued after avalanche in Maroon Bowl

A photo of the slide in Maroon Bowl on Sunday, March 19, 2023. The three skiers apparently entered the Bowl, just outside the Aspen Highlands' ski area boundary, at the top and near the middle of the bowl.
Courtesy
/
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
A photo of the fatal slide in Maroon Bowl on Sunday, March 19, 2023. The three skiers apparently entered the Bowl, just outside the Aspen Highlands' ski area boundary, at the top and near the middle of the bowl.

Three backcountry skiers were caught in an avalanche and one was killed in the Maroon Bowl on Sunday afternoon, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office.

Maroon Bowl is just outside the ski area boundary at Aspen Highlands, on the other side of the ridge from Highland Bowl.

Search and rescue crews recovered the body of Gábor Házas, 54, of Budapest, Hungary and transported the two survivors back to safety by 5:30 p.m. Sunday night.

"At approximately 1:25 p.m. in the afternoon we received a report of a large avalanche in the Maroon Bowl area of Highland Peak," said Chief Pitkin County Sheriff's Deputy Parker Lathrop. "Very quickly talking to ski patrol and looking at the risk of what hadn't slid above the area, it was determined there was no safe way to get rescuers in except to fly them in."

A photo filed with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center as part of a field report made today, March 19, 2023. The field report was filed by Aaron Watchmaker, a member of the public.
Courtesy
/
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
A photo filed with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center as part of a field report made today, March 19, 2023. The field report was filed by Aaron Watchmaker, a member of the public.

Before Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA) arrived by helicopter, one of the two surviving skiers was in touch with the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol and reported they were able to uncover the buried skier and start CPR.

"At 4:36 p.m., the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control helicopter was able to insert two MRA rescuers at their location," the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office said in a press release sent out Sunday night. "The MRA rescuers then confirmed that the skier was deceased. At 4:45 p.m. the helicopter retrieved the deceased skier and the uninjured skier and flew them to the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. The two MRA rescuers were then able to safely ski down to Maroon Creek Road."

Meanwhile, Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol was able to get a rope down to the other surviving skier, who had hiked back up the mountainside. Patrollers were eventually able to pull the individual uphill and into the ski area.

Looking down the avalanche path at the runout and debris field from the large avalanche that killed a backcountry skier in Maroon Bowl on March 19, 2023.
Courtesy
/
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Looking down the avalanche path at the runout and debris field from the large avalanche that killed a backcountry skier in Maroon Bowl on March 19, 2023.

The Colorado Army National Guard HAATS team, Care Flight of the Rockies, and Flight for Life were also involved in search and rescue efforts.

All three skiers caught in the slide had avalanche safety training and were carrying and using avalanche safety equipment, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Authorities have not released the identity of the two surviving skiers, but the Sheriff's Office confirmed both skiers are Hungarian.

The avalanche was first reported by members of the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol who saw the slide from their headquarters on Loge Peak.

"My understanding, which I can't confirm, is that ski patrol was watching and could see people skiing it and they saw it start to finish," Lathrop said. "Tracks were visible from the top of Aspen Highlands and the slide area was visible."

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center published a preliminary accident summary Sunday evening about the event.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the people involved in this tragic accident. CAIC staff will visit the accident site on Monday, March 20, and we will publish a final report in the next week," the report said.

In April 2018, another fatal avalanche happened in Maroon Bowl.

On Friday, a Glenwood Springs man was killed and two others received medical treatment after being caught in an avalanche near Marble, according to the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.

The body of Joel Shute, 36, was recovered Saturday, according to the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office.

Mike Cooperstein with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said it’s unusual to have two fatal avalanches back-to-back in such close proximity to each other, but it’s not unheard of.

“We have a usually pretty weak snowpack in Colorado so we’ve had other accidents back-to-back at different times throughout the history of skiing in Colorado,” he said.

With more snow in the forecast this week, Cooperstein said more backcountry avalanches are likely.

“Expect the danger to rise again coming into Wednesday and Thursday, if not before," he said. "And really what people should do is just avoid steep avalanche terrain right now.”

Nine people have died in avalanches in Colorado so far this winter and Pitkin County has recorded the highest number of fatalities of any county in the state since 1950, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Eleanor is an award-winning journalist reporting on regional social justice issues in collaboration with Aspen Public Radio and Aspen Journalism. A life-long Roaring Fork Valley local, she previously was a reporter, podcast producer and Morning Edition host at Aspen Public Radio. Her stories have ranged from the impact of federal immigration policies on local DACA recipients to creative efforts to solve the valley’s affordable housing challenge.