Powder Pages

Brandon John Zukoff, Dead after a fatal avalanche in the Snomass sidecountry leaves a beautiful “personal mission statement” behind for us to know who he was.

“As I roam the earth as a free-spirited ski bum, I want to be known as a fun-loving thrill seeker who loves nothing more in life than homemade chocolate chip cookies and a big glass of skim milk. I want to be looked at as a loyal grandson, son, brother, friend and teammate while maintaining the freedom to do things on the spur of the moment. I’m a Christian who believes all things happen for a reason, and good things happen to good people. After my days wandering this place we call Earth are over, I want to be looked at and remembered as a caring man who would do just about anything for anyone. I want people to also remember me as random, intelligent, honest, trustworthy, and last but not least, a risk taker who loves the outdoors and skis like there’s no tomorrow.” written in the cover of a photo album by Brandon, released with the consent of his family.

Our thoughts and prayers go to his friends and famliy, as for Brandon, well, he is skiing the sweetest pow in heaven!!!

Avalanches aren’t the only danger for skiers in Russia!

Suspected Terrorists bomb ski lifts and kill tourists!!! Check out the article here…

2 avalanche deaths in Colorado this week.

Snowmass, CO - An unidentified 25-year-old man died Tuesday in an avalanche in the sidecountry adjacent to Snowmass Ski Area, the Pitkin County, Colo. sheriff’s department has confirmed.

The victim, an Aspen, Colo. area seasonal resident, was skiing with two companions in Sands Chute behind the Sneaky’s portion of Snowmass when the avalanche occurred. The skiers were practicing proper backcountry skiing protocol and were skiing the chute one at a time. The victim was the second skier to descend when the slope broke loose.

The victim’s body was located by his companions before they skied out the East Snowmass Creek drainage to contact authorities at 4:06 p.m. Recovery operations were delayed until today due to the late hour and snow instability.

Tuesday’s avalanche death in Snowmass is the fifth this winter in Colorado.

A 19-year-old from Meeker, James Sizemore, was killed Sunday afternoon when his snowmobile was overtaken by an avalanche in in Rio Blanco County.

Now that’s the Crested Butte I remember!

MSU student killed in avalanche.

http://www.kbzk.com/news/msu-student-killed-in-truman-gulch-avalanche/

21 Dead in Afgan Avalanches.

Avalanches killed at least 21 people in central Afghanistan after heavy snowfalls, an official said Monday.

“A total of 21 people were killed and five were wounded in the recent snowfalls and avalanches,” said Qurban Ali Orzgani, the governor of Dykundi province, DPA reported.

“Heavy snowfall started Thursday and still continues,” he said.

In his province’s Sakht Takht Bandar district, 16 people, all members of two families, were killed and their houses destroyed Sunday night in an avalanche, the governor said.

Five people were killed and five injured Sunday in another avalanche in the same district, he said, adding that some roads were blocked by the snow.

Last year, about 170 people were killed in avalanches on the Salang Pass highway in central Afghanistan, a high mountain pass that joins Kabul to the western and northern provinces.