In the Rocky Mountains on Valentine’s Day, avalanches killed three people in three separate incidents, according to local authorities.
Just before noon on Sunday, an avalanche in Beehive Basin, near Big Sky, Montana, swept two splitboarders and partially buried one.
The partially buried splitboarder was injured when snow pushed him through the trees. Later identified by the authorities as the principal of the 45-year-old elementary school, Craig Kitto, the man was conscious and shouting for help when his traveling companion in the countryside, who was not buried, contacted the authorities asking for medical help.
The Gallatin County Sheriff organized a helicopter rescue, which transported Kitto to an ambulance and then to the Big Sky Medical Center. Kitto was later taken by helicopter to Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital, where he died of “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 head of Whittier Elementary School in Butte, Montana, two hours’ drive northwest.
In 2018, Kitto told the local newspaper that he was “excited” and “very excited” to return from Wyoming to his home state of Montana.
Two more people were also killed on Sunday’s holiday by separate avalanches in Colorado.
Like Montana, Colorado saw more snow poured over a fragile layer of granular and powdery snow. That layer has been progressively weakened by dry conditions since the first fall in October, according to Dave Zinn, an avalanche analyst at the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center in southwest Montana.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center warned early Sunday to be “extra careful”, saying “normal routes and safety habits can’t keep you out of harm’s way.”
At about 9:30 am on Sunday, an inland snowboarder was buried and killed by an avalanche at Pat’s Knob, near Mount Trelease, nearly 60 miles west of Denver.
“Search and Rescue personnel found the tourer buried with an implanted avalanche airbag. 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,” wrote the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) in a press release.
The Clear Creek County sheriff confirmed to NBC News that the deceased snowboarder was 57-year-old David Heide.
Later that day, just a county away, a snowmobile driver died in a similar snow slide.
Grand County Sheriff wrote in a Facebook post that at approximately 1:40 pm on Sunday, rescue workers received news of an avalanche near the Rollins Pass.
“The caller reported that his father was buried by the avalanche and was unconscious,” wrote the Grand County sheriff.
“Upon reaching the scene, rescuers found a snowmobile that had been carried by the slide to the frozen lake. Respondents located the snowmobile driver in the avalanche snow. Rescue measures taken by rescuers were unsuccessful and the man was pronounced dead. on site .
CAIC reported that the man was dragged under his snowmobile on Lake Pumphouse.
A series of avalanches in the United States – which, according to CAIC, have killed at least 25, already exceeding 2020 – has made this winter one of the deadliest in recent history.
Experts told NBC News that favorable weather conditions are contributing to the widespread risk of avalanches, with the coronavirus pandemic possibly putting more people at risk as those tired of the blockades head out into the open.
The Associated Press contributed.