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Across the Rockies on Valentine’s Day, avalanches killed three people in three separate incidents, according to local authorities.
Shortly before noon on Sunday, an avalanche at Beehive Basin near Big Sky, Mont., Swept through two splitboarders and partially buried one.
The partially buried splitboarder was injured as the snow pushed him through the trees. Identified by authorities later as the principal of a 45-year-old elementary school, Craig Kitto, the man was conscious and crying for help as his backcountry travel companion, who had no buried, contacted authorities for medical help.
The Gallatin County Sheriff organized a helicopter rescue, which transported Kitto in an ambulance, and then to Big Sky Medical Center. Kitto was then flown by helicopter to Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital where he died of his “multiple” injuries, a press release from the sheriff’s office said.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported in 2018 that Kitto was “the veteran educator” hired in 2018 as the principal of Whittier Elementary School in Butte, MT, a two-hour drive northwest.
In 2018, Kitto told the local newspaper he was “fist-fisted” and “excited beyond” to return from Wyoming to his home state of Montana.
Two other people were also killed on the Sunday holiday by separate avalanches in Colorado.
Like Montana, Colorado has seen more snow dumped on a brittle base layer of grainy powdery snow. This layer has gradually weakened by dry conditions since it first fell in October, according to Dave Zinn, an avalanche forecaster for the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center in southwestern Montana.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center warned early Sunday to take “more caution,” saying “normal routes and safety habits may not keep you out of danger.”
At around 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning, a solo backcountry snowboarder was buried and killed by an avalanche on Pat’s Knob near Mount Trelease, nearly 60 miles west of Denver.
“Search and rescue personnel found the tourer buried with an avalanche airbag deployed. Part of the airbag was visible in the avalanche debris, but the tourer’s head was covered (partial burial – critical). “
“Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of the person involved. We will post more information as it becomes available,” the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) wrote in a press release.
The Clear Creek County Sheriff confirmed to NBC News that the deceased snowboarder was David Heide, 57.
Later that day, one county away, a snowmobiler was killed in a similar snow slide.
The Grand County Sheriff wrote in a Facebook post that at approximately 1:40 p.m. Sunday, rescuers were notified of an avalanche near Rollins Pass.
“The appellant reported that his father was buried by the avalanche and was unconscious,” the Grand County Sheriff wrote.
“Upon arriving at the scene, the responders found a snowmobile that had been transported by the slide on the frozen lake. The responders located the snowmobile in the snow from the avalanche. The rescue measures carried out by the rescuers failed and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
CAIC reported that the man was dragged under his snowmobile on Pumphouse Lake.
A spate of avalanches across the United States – which CAIC says have so far killed at least 25, already surpassing 2020 – made this winter one of the deadliest in recent memory.
Experts have told NBC News that the ripe weather conditions are contributing to the widespread risk of avalanches, with the coronavirus pandemic possibly putting more people at risk as those tired of lockdowns head outside.
The Associated Press contributed.
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