Triggered: A Tale of Two Broken Legs

Backcountry Update: Snowy Roads and Avalanches

As travel officials issue snow advisories for the Central Mountains including highways in and out of Leadville Today, details about last week’s avalanche in southern Lake County which left a snowmobiler with two broken legs have started to hit the news feeds.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) advises motorists doing essential travel or services along the I-70 mountain corridor to be prepared for considerable travel impacts beginning Wednesday night and well into Thursday.

“While traffic volumes have been reduced, some motorists are driving excessively fast causing dangerous conditions for everyone on the road,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “There has been very dangerous driving in recent storms, resulting in fatalities.

While it looks like the big snow accumulations appear to be tracking north for this storm, “a foot of snow is in the forecast for the Summit County and Vail Pass sections of I-70, as well as 10-18” for Rabbit Ears and Berthoud passes on US 40. Hwy 133 McClure Pass could receive 6-10” with 5-9” in the forecast for Grand Mesa (CO 65). Travelers should also prepare for strong winds and winter weather between Rifle and Steamboat Springs.”

While highway motorists are urged to continue to heed the Governor’s stay at home order, particularly when it is snowing, for two other motorists, ignoring those laws got them into a heap of trouble in southern Lake County last week.

According to the report issued by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) on April 7, a pair of snowmobile riders met up at noon at the winter closure gate on Highway 82 located 8 miles west of Twin Lakes in southern Lake County. Rider 1 had 6 years of experience riding around Independence Pass. For rider 2 – who later identified himself on social media as Shawn Donohue of Leadville – it was first experience into this particular backcountry area which is located atop Independence Pass at 12,093 ft. While both riders were carrying avalanche rescue equipment (transceiver, shovel, probe) and only Rider 1 wore an airbag according to the official report.

The pair’s plan was to ride into the Mountain Boy Gulch area by way of the old road from the Brumley townsite. They stated that they saw several other snowmobile tracks from the day prior so they rode in the main gulch until around 3:30 p.m. when they headed up a small drainage to the south, eventually reaching the saddle at the top. They stopped at the top, to regroup and discuss their descent plan which included riding on the slope that eventually triggered a size D2 avalanche.

Rider #2, aka Shawn Donohue of Leadville, couldn’t “walk away” from the April 7 avalanche which left him with two broken legs in the snow slide triggered by two snowmobilers during a State of Emergency Stay-at-Home order in effect statewide. Photo: Facebook Shawn Donohue.

The more experienced Rider 1 went first, eventually watching Donohue from below, according to the CAIC report the avalanche “moved slowly, then picked up speed at the bottom.” Rider 1 kept his eyes on Donohue as he traveled downhill in the flow of the avalanche, losing sight of him momentarily as he passed through a stand of trees, finally seeing him on the surface of the snow. “You okay?”

Donohue replied that both his legs were broken. He remembers his helmet and mouth becoming packed with snow as he was submerged in the flow of the avalanche. He tore his helmet off as he was tumbling to prevent the snow filling it from blocking his airway. His backpack was ripped off his back as he was pushed through a stand of trees. His snowmobile struck and was stuck in the stand of trees.

“That was me” Shawn Donohoe posted on Facebook. “I was not alone. Tried riding on my buds sled but fell off, got back on and he rode me out till a flight for life could land safely. He is my saviour. . . I’m am so fckn lucky I’m alive. Someone was on my shoulder that day.”

On April 7 a pair of snowmobile riders triggered an avalanche atop Independence Pass in southern Lake County. Photo: CAIC

Here’s what the officials CAIC report states:

Rescue Summary

Rider 1 rode on to the avalanche debris and to Rider 2. One of Rider 2’s legs was severely angulated, and Rider 1 straightened it back to anatomical alignment. The pair discussed riding out on one snowmobile, but decided that would not be possible given the large blocks of debris.

Rider 1 left to cut branches for splints, while Rider 2 dragged himself off the debris. Rider 1 splinted Rider 2’s legs and helped him onto the snowmobile. They rode back toward the trailhead. After traveling a little over a mile, they determined they could not keep the snowmobile upright on the off-camber road they had ascended. There were no other viable options for egress, so they decided that Rider 2 would wait on the road while Rider 1 went for help.

Rider 1 snowmobiled another mile to the trailhead, then drove 7.5 miles before he had cell service. He called 911. He also called Responder 1, a friend. Responder 1 drove to the trailhead. Rider 1 and Responder 1 rode the snowmobile back and reached Rider 2 about 7:40 PM. They brought a reflective jacket and blanket with them. They wrapped Rider 2 in the jacket and blanket.

Shawn Donhue’s snowmobile was stuck in the stand of trees. He suffered two broken legs n the April 7 Avalanche atop Independence Pass.

Around 8:00 PM, the three heard the Flight for Life helicopter circling over the basin. Rider 1 began waving his flashlight and snowmobiled out into the basin to get the pilot’s attention. The helicopter landed on Highway 82, about 500 feet from Rider 1. Rider 1 helped the flight medics to Rider 2. They loaded Rider 2 into a sled, carried the sled until they could use the snowmobile to tow him to the helicopter. Flight for Life evacuated Rider 2 to a hospital.

Fortunately, the incident did not end in a fatality, but it did ignite strong reaction from readers:

• Dan Moroz “So what part of not risking S&R (Search and Rescue) manpower concept was this person following? There is not a need to perform on the “edge” at this time. Very selfish; sorry.”

While most Lake County residents are respecting the stay-at-home orders, others are questioning mixed messages from local officials and agencies, some trying to walk back the US Forest Service recent closure of nearby recreation sites. By the way, this order issued by the federal agency that owns and manages these lands DOES INCLUDE Lake County residents, until they say otherwise.  In addition, a reminder that Colorado Governor Jared Polis emergency, temporary stay-at-home order for all of Colorado went into effect Thursday, March 26. With this order, the public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO and avoid all nonessential travel. However, based on the CAIC report about the two knucklehead snowmobilers who choose to defy those orders and head out for a  backcountry adventure requiring a Flight-for-Life extraction during a State of Emergency order, well, it’s clear there are still some pretty stupid people out there.

Don’t be stupid.

Rescue Summary

CAIC Weather: Next 24 Hours

Our incoming storm system looks on track. Snowfall started last night and will intensify and spread south today. The jet stream overhead is providing good lift for ample available moisture, and an associated cold front is really kicking off some snowfall rates of an inch and hour or more. Peak snowfall will occur will frontal passage the first half of the day, before tapering off somewhat this afternoon. This system favors the Central and Northern Mountains, and some locations (favoring along and east of the northern Continental Divide) could see upwards of a foot of snowfall today. Expect cold temperatures, overcast skies, and plenty of drifting snow at high elevations and in exposed areas.

Thursday night is another cold one with mostly cloudy skies and lower wind speeds. Most snowfall will end overnight with the exception of some lingering flurries. Friday clears a bit with some sun poking through partly cloudy skies. Temperatures warm back into the upper 20s to mid-30s.

Snowcat operator for the Leadville Winter Trails Program Toby Tekansik lays down some fresh tracsk for winter recreation earlier this season. But if you see this guy now because you need to be hauled out of the backcountry, it’ll cost you 500 bucks! Photo: Leadville Today #LessonLearned