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Climber Killed In Fourteener Avalanche Identified

Man Who Triggers Avalanche On La Plata Peak Found Buried In 6 Feet Of Snow

POSTED: 2:18 pm MST March 21, 2004
UPDATED: 10:19 am MST March 22, 2004

The body of a climber buried in an avalanche on La Plata Peak was recovered Sunday, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office.

The climber was one of three climbers who triggered the avalanche on the 14,336 feet peak Saturday about 25 miles north of Buena Vista.

Kyle Fitzpatrick, 22, of Colorado Springs died in the avalanche, according to the sheriff's office. David Bennett and Joel Sabersma, both of Colorado Springs, unsuccessfully tried to rescue Fitzpatrick and then hiked out for help.

According to authorities, Fitzpatrick triggered the avalanche Saturday afternoon, which carried him and Sabersma down the mountain. Sabersma was patrially buried and rescued by Bennett.

The men searched for Fitzpatrick for more than two hours but were unable to locate him.

Sabersma was treated for injuries at a Leadville hospital. Bennett was not injured.

Search and rescue crews found Fitzpatrick's body shortly before noon Sunday. He was buried in six feet of snow, officials said.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center said it had reports of about 50 avalanches Saturday.

"We're in the middle of a pretty good wet slide cycle," said CAIC forecaster Scott Toepfer. "That means early in the morning when snowpack is frozen it's pretty stable but as the sun comes up and temperatures increase, avalanche danger rises accordingly."

Toepfer said temperatures in the mountains were getting into the 50s, which he called unheard of for March.

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