Wife Finds Dead Husband Buried Under 3 Feet of Snow After He Failed to Check-In Following Colo. Avalanche

Mar. 15, 2025

Don Moden Jr.Photo:Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, Inc./Facebook

Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, Inc./Facebook

A woman is recovering after she found the body of her husband buried 3 feet deep in snow from an avalanche in Colorado earlier this month, authorities have confirmed.

Areportpublished on Wednesday, Jan. 15, from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) detailed how the accident unfolded.

The skier’s wife “was expecting a call at the end of his ski day” on Tuesday, Jan. 7. However, when he didn’t get in touch, “she alerted authorities and went to check” on him on Red Mountain Number 3 near Red Mountain Pass, according to CAIC.

The skier “may have been buried for more than four hours before help arrived,” the report stated. He “was buried about 1 meter [around 3 feet] deep, too deep to effect a self-rescue from avalanche debris.”

CAIC added that the victim — a backcountry tourer, identified only as Skier 1 — had “missed a check-in with his wife … She notified the Ouray County Sheriff that he was overdue and then drove to Red Mountain Pass,” before snowshoeing to the slope her husband had been planning to visit.

An aerial image of Red Mountain Number 3.CAIC

CAIC

The woman then “saw the avalanche on the slope” and “initiated a transceiver search and immediately acquired a signal with a reading of 56 meters,” the CAIC report stated.

“She used her transceiver to find Skier 1’s location, pinpointed him with her avalanche probe, and began to dig in the debris,” the report continued.

In aFacebooktribute on Tuesday, Jan. 14, the OMRT identified the man as one of their former team members, Don Moden Jr.CBS Newsreported that he was 57 years old.

“The avalanche was about 800-feet wide, and the crown face ran along a wind-drifted subridge of Red Mountain Number 3,” the CAIC report found, “The crown face was 3 to 4 feet high and almost 6-feet at the tallest point. The avalanche ran into a gully below the drifted ridge, traveling 400 vertical feet.”

An image taken looking down from the avalanche crown.CAIC

The report stated that “based on tracks and equipment, [Moden] was descending at the time of the avalanche.”

Moden “was wearing an avalanche rescue transceiver and an avalanche airbag backpack,” according to the CAIC. But despite the backpack being armed and functional, “it was not deployed.”

“He had skied on Red Mountain Pass for 16 years and knew the terrain on Red Number 3 well,” CAIC added of Moden. “He chose his terrain as appropriate for the day based on his previous experience of the slope and the snowpack.”

The OMRT wrote in its Facebook tribute that “Don was a dedicated member of our team from 2010 to 2017, during which he made lasting contributions to both our team and the broader community. His exceptional backcountry skills, athleticism and meticulous attention to detail as the team’s Equipment Officer set a standard we continue to honor.”

“Affectionately known as ‘The Don,’ he left an indelible mark on our team, not only through his expertise but also through the camaraderie and friendship he brought to every mission,” the tribute continued, alongside a photo.

“Our hearts are with Don’s family and friends during this difficult time. He will forever remain in our thoughts and in the history of our team,” the message concluded.

An aerial image of the accident site.CAIC

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Backcountry touring is usually done in unmarked or unpatrolled areas either in or outside a ski resort’s boundaries.

The CAIC warned in its report that “backcountry travel in a group is generally safer than traveling alone. A well-equipped group that uses safe travel protocols will have more resources to enact a rescue if something goes wrong.”

A photo taken looking up from the toe of the avalanche.CAIC

“However, like the decision to travel on a specific route during certain avalanche conditions, solo travel is a personal choice. Between October 1, 2020, and January 7, 2025, solo backcountry travelers accounted for 18 percent (six of 33) of avalanche deaths in Colorado. In each of the last five avalanche seasons, at least one solo traveler has died in an avalanche in Colorado,” the report continued.

source: people.com