TELLURIDE – The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has determined that an avalanche that killed a 47-year-old skier was triggered after three snowboarders illegally crossed a boundary rope.
The Telluride Daily Planet reports the center released its final report last week on the Feb. 19 avalanche that killed Salvadore Garcia-Atance in the Bear Creek area near Telluride.
According to the report, the snowboarders crossed into a permanently closed-off area to ride the east face of Temptation Bowl. The avalanche was released when the third snowboarder was descending.
The snowboarders were not named in the report.
Garcia-Atance’s wife alerted authorities that he was missing, prompting a search. His body was recovered from under 6 feet of debris the next day.
The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office says it’s still investigating the death.