One snowboarder and three skiers left the west side of Loveland Pass at 8 AM. They had read the avalanche forecast for the day, looked at wind speeds on the CAIC weather stations page and had talked with friends who had skied steep north-facing terrain the day before and reported soft snow and no slab. The four planned to climb Grizzly Peak and descend a north-facing gully.

At approximately 11 AM Snowboarder 1 and Skier 2 dropped into the skier's right, north-facing side of the gully. They descended about 50 feet to an avalanche-sheltered area and waited. Skier 3 descended the left, more northeast-facing side of the gully. Skier 3 triggered a Wind Slab avalanche that broke across the entire left side of the gully, 12 to 24 inches deep. Skier 3 was not caught. Snowboarder 1 and Skier 2 were still on the right side of the gully in snow that had not slid. Skier 2 traversed across rocks to gain the bed surface safely.

Snowboarder 1 traversed through snow, triggered, and was caught in an avalanche on the right side of the gully. Snowboarder 1 struck a rock with his knee and broke his patella during the avalanche. The avalanche carried him about 700 vertical feet down the gully before he was able to self-arrest, unburied.

Skier 2 descended the bed surface to Snowboarder 1. At 11:30 AM, as Skier 3 was descending, he called 911 and talked to dispatch. Before he lost service, he provided Skier 4’s contact information. Skier 4 remained on the ridgeline, in radio communication with the other party members. Skiers 2 and 3 assisted Snowboarder 1 to the base of the debris pile.

Alpine Rescue arrived at 3:30 PM and determined that Snowboarder 1 required helicopter evacuation. During this time a party of two dropped into the gully despite being alerted by Skier 4, still on the ridgeline, to the rescue going on below. A Flight for Life helicopter arrived at 4:30 PM and flew Snowboarder 1 to the hospital in Frisco. Skiers 2 and 3 returned to Bakerville on Interstate 70 with Alpine Rescue, arriving at approximately 5:15 PM. Skier 4 descended back to the vehicles on Loveland Pass.