SAGUACHE COUNTY, Colo. -- A Salida man was killed by an avalanche on Friday afternoon while snowmobiling in the southern Sawatch Range in Saguache County.

Mark Werts, spokesman for the Saguache County Sheriff's Office, said 55-year-old Vernon Kelso was fatally buried by a large avalanche on Sheep Mountain. Werts said Kelso was with a group snowmobiling above tree line in this remote section of the Rocky Mountains.

At around 1:15 p.m. Kelso triggered a massive avalanche with his snowmobile. His group was able to get a call to 911 about the incident.

Scott Toepfer, forecaster with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, said the avalanche slid all the way to the ground and was over 4 feet deep. The slide started well above Kelso and the avalanche covered nearly a mile.

Werts said Kelso was an experienced snowmobiler who also volunteered with Chaffee County Search and Rescue. Werts added Kelso recently helped rescue a couple of avalanche victims in the area of where he was buried.

The avalanche threat was considerable in the Sawatch Range on Friday when the accident occurred.