DENVER -- For the fifth time this season, an avalanche has claimed the life of someone in Colorado. Nate Soules, 38, was killed after being buried under four feet of snow when an avalanche hit Monday afternoon in Telluride.
Nate was snowboarding alone in the backcountry at the time. His good friend, Rube Felicelli told FOX31 Denver,
“He was the nicest guy you’d ever meet. Really nice ... always had a smile ... always had a laugh," said Rube Felicelli, a friend of Soules. "He was just a very personable and very likeable person right from the get go.”
Felicille said Nate was adventurous, but prepared.
“I rode in a chair lift with him Sunday and we were talking about his avalanche gear. He was showing me the gear he had," Felicille said. "That was the last time I saw Nate was Sunday. I think sometimes when people get all this gear it gives you a false sense of security. Maybe that`s what happened to Nate.”
Rescuers say Nate had an inflatable avalanche bag, but it did not prevent traumatic injuries that killed him before rescuers got to him. Experts say these types of devices are becoming more and more popular.
“They are becoming more affordable," said REI Supervisor Drew Shaw. "Right now the ones we sell are in the five, six, seven hundred dollar range depending on the size of the pack and the features.”
They are so popular that REI has sold out of them, but they are not fail safe.
"The impact could kill you. Going through trees could puncture that bag, so it`s not a perfect system," Shaw said. "But it`s another tool that can bring you home to the wife and kids at the end of the day.”
Click here for more information about avalanche awareness classes.
