By Bruce Finley, The Denver Post Fifteen miles into the mountains north of Aspen, the sparkling snow beneath Scott Messina's skis whumped and collapsed. Black cracks shot out across the crusty white surface. Then the snow broke into slabs. Messina was deep into the avalanche-prone backcountry that is becoming a Colorado death zone. Skier fatalities in the backcountry now exceed skier deaths in-bounds at commercial ski areas, according to a new state health study.
Avalanches triggered by skiers are the main cause.
In comparison, last winter's six head-injury fatalities at commercial ski areas, where millions of people recreate, marked a decrease from 12 the year before. Two people have died at ski areas this winter. As the 2000-2001 winter sets in, frequent, weak snowstorms and persistent cold have created grainy backcountry conditions that state avalanche monitors rate as the most dangerous in four years. He works as a caretaker of Margy's and 15 other high-altitude 10th Mountain Division huts. Since starting his work in 1986, Messina has skied up to huts and down again more than 1,200 times.