Local man dies in backcountry avalanche

A bluebird spring powder day turned tragic when a local man died in a backcountry avalanche Monday afternoon.

The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office reports that Adam Dennis was in a group of five skiing Desolation, just south of Maroon Bowl — beyond the boundaries of the Aspen Highlands ski area — when the avalanche occurred.

"It is known that at least one individual was caught in the slide, was located by others in the group, and that CDP [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] was initiated. The resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful," a press release said.

The sheriff's office said it received the avalanche report at 2:45 p.m.

Dennis, 38, was a popular longtime local who worked at the Viceroy Snowmass.

Deputies and members of Mountain Rescue Aspen are assessing the stability of the snow in the area where the slide occurred to determine the safest way to recover his body. The recovery is planned for Tuesday.

More than a foot of fresh snow fell in the area Sunday into Monday, adding to the already precarious backcountry conditions. Three other skiers reportedly triggered a large avalanche on Saturday on Independence Pass, another popular backcountry area above Aspen. The trio of skiers were reportedly "lucky to be alive."

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center rated the danger in the Aspen area on Monday as considerable above treeline and moderate below it. Authorities reported that the Desolation slide occurred below treeline.

Monday's tragedy is the sixth avalanche death in Colorado this 2010/2011 season.

River Name / Location	Stream flow, ft3/s	Gage height ft
Gore Creek
At Upper Station, Near I-70 Twin Bridges	n/a	4 ft
Booth Creek	n/a	4 ft
Abv Red Sandstone Creek At Vail	199	6 ft
At Mouth Near Minturn	225	7 ft
Beaver Creek
At Avon	21	2 ft
Lake Creek
Near Edwards	79	1 ft
Cross Creek
Near Minturn	98	4 ft
Homestake Creek
At Gold Park	127	5 ft
Eagle River
East Fork Eagle River Near Climax	n/a	2 ft
At Red Cliff	30	3 ft
Near Minturn	234	4 ft
Wastewater Treatment Plant At Avon	671	5 ft
Below Gypsum	826	5 ft
Colorado River
Near Kremmling	402	4 ft
Near Dotsero	1,620	3 ft
Below Glenwood Springs	3,080	5 ft
Near Cameo	3,740	6 ft
Below Grand Valley Div Nr Palisade	2,160	5 ft
Near Colorado-utah State Line	4,080	4 ft
Near Cisco, Ut	4,100	3 ft
At Lees Ferry, Az	12,100	9 ft
Near Grand Canyon, Az	12,000	9 ft
Yuma Main Canal Ww At Yuma, Az	997	10 ft
Roaring Fork River
Abv Lost Man Cr Near Aspen	n/a	n/a ft
Ab Difficult C Nr Aspen	53	1 ft
Near Aspen	77	1 ft
Near Emma	464	6 ft
At Glenwood Springs	1,150	3 ft
Hunter Creek
Near Aspen	57	2 ft
At Aspen	49	4 ft
Frying Pan River
Near Ruedi	111	2 ft
Crystal River
Abv Avalanche Crk, Near Redstone	610	2 ft
Arkansas River
Ef Arkansas R At Us Highway 24, Nr Leadville	46	3 ft
Near Leadville	85	5 ft
Below Empire Gulch Near Malta	156	3 ft
Below Granite	453	4 ft
Near Nathrop	451	4 ft
At Parkdale	469	3 ft