The Avalanche Information Center said in a preliminary report that the pair had planned to ski in an area known as the Battleship, which is southeast of Ophir Pass in the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. Officials said the skiers had been caught and buried in an avalanche. The San Juan County coroner, Keri Metzler, identified them as Albert Perry, 55, and Dr. Jeff Paffendorf, 51, both of Durango, Colo.Ms. Gallegos said their beacons helped other members of their party find their bodies. “All of the agencies would like to extend their condolences to the Perry and Paffendorf families,” the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management said in a statement. They were the state’s second and third fatalities of the 2020-21 ski season, according to the Avalanche Information Center.

Source: New York Times December 22, 2020 19:18 UTC