A backcountry veteran pursuing a degree in avalanche science was the lone skier killed by an avalanche near Janet’s Cabin west of Copper Mountain on Saturday, March 7.
David Pickett-Heaps, of Summit County, was killed at Boss Basin, according to Colorado Avalanche Information Center and Eagle County Coroner via 9News. His is the first confirmed avalanche fatality of the season in Colorado.
Pickett-Heaps was reported missing late Saturday. Around sunrise the next day a Flight for Life helicopter spotted ski tracks leading into a slide on a northeast-facing slope in Boss Basin. Rescue teams from Summit and Vail recovered his body soon after. They also found snowmobile tracks, which led to early reports of a possible snowmobile burial.
Today, avalanche forecasters are piecing together what happened as memories and condolences pour in for Pickett-Heaps and his wife, Kaileen Pickett-Heaps.
His sister, Rebecca, of Australia, says on Facebook, “Always a crazy, adventurous spirit, he knew the area well and was well prepared. He was doing exactly what he loved most.”
Writes a friend, Caz, on Facebook, “He lived fully, loved deeply and left an unforgettable mark on this community. His spirit will always be part of these mountains — a true legend to the very last moment.”
Pickett-Heaps grew up in Boulder and worked as a regional elevator inspector for the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments. His staff biography reads, “His laid-back style, often signaled by his signature visor, belies a competitive, adventurous spirit that has made him an expert backcountry snowboarder and mountain biker.”
Dangerous weekend
Avalanche danger was considerable at most elevations in that zone on Saturday after a foot of fresh snow on Friday.
CAIC forecasters confirm multiple close calls across the region, from Berthoud Pass to the Mosquito Range of Alma.
On Sunday two skiers were caught and one was partially buried by a slide after leaving the NOLO Hut near Alma.
Also Sunday a snowboarder at Berthoud Pass likely sparked and escaped a slide that left a debris pile 15 feet deep.