SAGUACHE – A Chaffee County Search and Rescue volunteer died Friday March 12 when he was caught in an avalanche in the Marshall Pass area while snowmobiling with friends.

Vernon Kelso, 55, of Salida died when his snowmobile set off avalanche activity in the Sheep Mountain area.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office received a call for assistance just after 1:15 p.m. Friday, notifying them that an avalanche had just taken place in the Marshall Pass area within Saguache County and a person was reportedly caught in the avalanche.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue, the Chaffee County Search and Rescue Volunteers, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, the Chaffee County Victim’s Advocate Unit and the Saguache County Sheriff’s Office responded. Rescuers were hampered by deep snow.

Kelso’s fellow riders found him in the snowfield with the assistance of a beacon he was wearing. When found, Kelso had no pulse or heartbeat. After being removed from the mountain that evening at 7:25 p.m., he was pronounced dead by Saguache County Coroner Tom Perrin.

Kelso was experienced in the use of a snowmobile in the backcountry. He had assisted the Chaffee County Search and Rescue team in recovering victims partially buried in an avalanche only a few miles from where he was found.

The Colorado Avalanche Center reported that avalanche danger in the Marshall Pass area was considerable that day.