The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reports that a backcountry skier was caught, buried, and killed in an avalanche that took place near Silverton on January 7.

The avalanche broke off on a northwest facing slope of Red Mountain Number 3 at an elevation of about 11,300 feet. The area of the slide is known as Bollywood, located east of Red Mountain Pass.

Colorado Avalanche Information Center staff will be visiting the accident site tomorrow for further analysis. Additional information will be released at a later date.

This is the first fatal avalanche of the season to occur in Colorado. Elsewhere, one death has occurred in Wyoming, two in Utah, one in Nevada, and one in Idaho.

Condolences go out to those impacted by this skier’s death.