Colorado's high country has again claimed the lives of Roaring Fork Valley residents, as two local men were killed in an avalanche near Crested Butte Saturday. Michael Goerne, 37, of Carbondale, and Owen Green, 27, of Aspen, were training as partners for the Grand Traverse, an extended backcountry ski race across the Elk Mountains next month.
According to a news release from Mount Crested Butte Police Department, Green and Goerne were reported missing about 8:00 pm on Saturday. Their bodies were located Sunday afternoon by a team that included Crested Butte Search and Rescue. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center's preliminary report says the slide occurred at about 9,600 feet.
According to the Aspen Times, both Goerne and Green coached the local high school and club lacrosse teams. Goerne was also the business manager for the Balcomb & Green law firm in Glenwood Springs and Green worked as a group sales specialist for Snowmass Tourism.
Goerne and Green are the third residents of the Roaring Fork Valley to have been killed in avalanches in 2019. Last month, 48-year-old Arin Trook died when he was caught in a slide near Ashcroft.
