Ouray, Colorado – Tragedy struck the backcountry skiing community when Donald Moden Jr., a 57-year-old experienced skier, was found buried under an avalanche on Red Mountain Pass. This remote area in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado is located between Ouray and Silverton on U.S. 550, a stretch known as the Million Dollar Highway.
The fatal incident occurred on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, while Moden was navigating the isolated terrain in Ouray County. Moden was equipped with an avalanche rescue transceiver and an avalanche airbag backpack, but it did not deploy. The avalanche was reported to be 800-feet wide and traveled 400 vertical feet.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), Moden was skiing in an area on Red Mountain Pass known as “Bollywood” with significant avalanche risks when the slide occurred.
The avalanche, categorized as a “soft slab,” buried Moden under three feet of snow, too deep for a self-rescue. After he failed to meet his wife at a planned check-in, his wife, equipped with a transceiver went to the trailhead and quickly located him. She was unable to extricate him alone due to the sheer volume of snow. She then sought assistance from rescue crews.
Emergency responders from the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team and other agencies launched a search and recovery operation. They faced difficult conditions in the rugged and remote area, which is known for its challenging access and avalanche-prone slopes. Despite their efforts, Moden was pronounced dead at the scene after being dug out.
“He had skied on Red Mountain Pass for 16 years and knew the terrain on Red Number 3 well,” the report says. “He chose his terrain as appropriate for the day based on his previous experience of the slope and the snowpack.”
The CAIC confirmed that Moden was fully buried in the slide, and his death marks the only avalanche-related fatality in Colorado this season. Officials emphasized the importance of avalanche safety training and equipment, particularly when venturing into backcountry areas during the winter months.
Friends and family described Moden as an experienced and passionate skier who had a deep love for the mountains. His tragic death has prompted renewed calls for heightened awareness of avalanche dangers and careful planning before backcountry excursions.
This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the risks associated with winter sports in avalanche-prone areas. Experts urge anyone traveling into these zones to carry essential safety gear, including transceivers, shovels, and probes, and to check local avalanche forecasts before embarking on any trip.
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