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Two missing in Lake County avalanche

Staff report

TWIN LAKES — An avalanche along Highway 82 in Lake County ensnared several skiers Saturday, two of whom are still missing, according to a report Saturday evening from the Lake County Office of Emergency Management.



Seven skiers near the top of a ridge activated an avalanche at about 5 p.m. about one mile from the LaPlata parking area.



Three people were taken to the hospital in Leadville with injuries that included a broken leg, a broken ankle and a possible broken rib and collapsed lung.

Two others were unharmed, but two remain unaccounted for.

The Colorado Avalanche and Information Center said the slide was large and at or near tree line on the Twin Lakes side of Independence Pass in an area popular for snow recreation activities.

The avalanche did not reach the road, and a team from the Colorado Department of Transportation is expected to arrive Sunday morning to conduct an assessment and determine a way to clear the area, Lake County said in its release.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.


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