Colorado Reports Wave of Avalanche Deaths

Avalanche safety gear is selling briskly here after a wave of deaths in snowslides. As of last week, avalanches had killed six people in Colorado this winter. Six is the average number of such deaths in a full season, said Scott Toepfer of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. He added, “This is about as bad as I’ve seen it.” Scarce snowfall early in the season left a fragile, sugar-like base, he explained. Rain and high winds in early January compounded the problems.