US: Avalanche in Colorado mountains kills 2

Summit County Coroner Regan Wood identified the victims Monday as Hannah Nash (25), and Drake Oversen (35), both of Colorado Springs.

The cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.

The search started after Nash and Oversen did not to return from an outing on Saturday.

Using information about their plans from family and friends, searchers found a recent avalanche and a faint track on a flank of North Star Mountain before the dog located the bodies, the avalanche centre said in its preliminary report on the slide.

The avalanche was the second fatal slide this winter in Colorado.

A backcountry skier was killed in an avalanche near Cameron Pass in north-central Colorado on Christmas Eve.

The victim’s partner located him with a transceiver and probe pole and pulled him out but he didn’t survive, authorities said.