VAIL — Matthew Gustafson, age 33, and Jackie Rossman, age 45, both locals to the Vail area, were caught in an avalanche that occurred Saturday, on the East Vail Chutes, according to the Eagle County Sheriff's Office. Rossman was able to unbury himself and call 911. Gustafson was later located and pronounced dead shortly thereafter. The cause of death is still under investigation pending an autopsy.

They were skiing by the King Tut and Old Man’s Chutes at about 11 a.m. when the avalanche happened. That area is just east of where another avalanche killed snowboarder Jesse Brigham on Jan. 4.

This is the second avalanche death in the East Vail backcountry this month. Rossman told authorities he had been buried for about an hour until he was able to dig himself out and call 911.

Vail Mountain Rescue and Vail Ski Patrol responded and found Rossman, who had
called for help. The Vail Public Safety Communications Center was able to
pinpoint latitude and longitude coordinates from the 911 call. Both skiers
were wearing avalanche beacons.

Gustafson was buried for at least four hours before rescuers located
him. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The East Vail Chutes are a backcountry skiing area that are not part of Vail Ski Resort. However, skiers get to the chutes via a gate by the Mongolia lift, a surface lift above Mongolia Bowl in Vail’s Back Bowls.

Avalanche danger in most of the Vail Summit Zone at all elevations was
“considerable” Saturday, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information
Center.

Human-triggered avalanches were “probable,” and natural avalanches were
“possible,” said avalanche forecaster Spencer Logan.

New snow and strong winds create “wind slabs,” or weak layers in the snow.
The conditions have been ripe for avalanches, Logan said.

“Everyone in the avalanche business has been expecting this. It makes us all nervous,” he said.

There were many “close calls” over the past two weeks, with avalanches
reported every day, Logan said.

At least 18 people have been caught in avalanches in Colorado, and two have
been killed since Dec. 30, the center reported.

“This was probably not a good day to be in the place they were in,” Logan
said. “There’s good snow out there, and people want to enjoy it, but it
seems people are taking some risks or cutting it too close.”

<i>Staff Writer Melanie Wong can be reached at 748-2928 or mwong@vaildaily.com. </i>