A Longmont man was killed Saturday in an avalanche in Ouray County in Western Colorado while taking an avalanche safety course.

A group of six backcountry skiers were in a course on Red Mountain Pass in Senator Beck Basin led by the Silverton Avalanche School.

The skiers triggered an avalanche while coming down, according to a report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. A second avalanche was also released and overran the debris pile of the first.

One of the skiers was buried under at least 8 feet of the debris from the avalanches and died. The Durango Herald identified him as Peter Marshall, 40, of Longmont.

The group got Marshall out from under the snow and attempted to revive him on site, but were unsuccessful.

This is the first avalanche fatality in Colorado this winter.

San Juan County Search and Rescue, Ouray Mountain Rescue, La Plata County Search and Rescue, Careflight and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center helped the rest of the group get to U.S. 550.

The Silverton Avalanche School is a nonprofit educational organization that provides training on avalanche and recreational safety. This is the school’s first avalanche fatality since it was founded in 1962, according to a news release.

“This tragic accident impacts all of us and our deepest condolences go out to the family,” the release says.

Madeline St. Amour: 303-684-5212, mstamour@prairiemountainmedia.com