3 caught in avalanche outside Aspen Highlands ski area, 1 killed

Search and rescue teams converged Sunday afternoon for a mission near the west ridge of Highlands Peak following an avalanche.

At least three people were known to be inside the Maroon Bowl at the time of the avalanche, according to Deputy Chief Parker Lathrop of the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office.

One of those skiers was killed by the slide, the sheriff's office confirmed later. The other two managed to work their way out of the immediate slide area but still required rescuers' assistance to exit the hillside.

The top of an avalanche at the Maroon Bowl is evident in this image taken north of the slide on Highlands Peak. The Aspen Highlands Ski Resort's Highland Bowl is on the other side of the ridge. The area of the slide is outside the resort's boundaries. Colorado Avalanche Information Center

The slide happened at approximately 1:25 p.m.

Maroon Bowl is on the opposite side of the Aspen Highlands Ski Resort's Highland Bowl, and is not inside the resort's boundary.

An image looking down the slide area from atop the ridge on Highlands Peak. colo

PCSO, Mountain Rescue Aspen and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center responded to the incident.

Colorado Avalanche Information Center

This is the second fatal avalanche this weekend. In a separate incident near Marble, the body of 36-year-old Joel Shute was recovered Saturday afternoon after a large slide caught he and two other splitboarders on Friday.

This is the ninth fatality of the ski season. Only twice since the 2009-2010 season have this many people died in avalanches.

Logan Smith

Logan Smith is an assignment desk editor at CBS Colorado in Denver with more than 30 years of journalism experience in digital, television and print media.