Three backcountry skiers were pillars of the community

Recovery efforts interrupted after deadly avalanche

Three backcountry skiers who were buried in an avalanche near Silverton on Monday were pillars of the Eagle County community, with officials describing the trio as “three friends and leaders,” in a news release.

Eagle County and Eagle town officials on Wednesday announced the deaths of Seth Bossung, Andy Jessen and Adam Palmer as those who died in the avalanche, in a joint news release.

Eagle officials said the announcement was made “to share their names so we can all openly acknowledge their deaths and grieve together.”

The San Juan County coroner has not identified the victims, but Eagle officials said they consulted the three families, who gave permission to release the names, the release said.

Jensen was mayor pro tem of the Eagle Town Council.

Palmer was the sustainable communities director for Eagle County. Bossung, a longtime area architect, was an energyefficiency project manager with the county.

“The families are surrounded by loved ones, and we are asking everyone to respect their wishes as to when and how they wish to communicate with others,” the release said.

“Our hearts are heavy with the loss of these three men.”

The three were described as valued contributors to local government and business. “Every single one of us in both of our organizations has learned by their examples, and we are grateful to be able to call them colleagues,” the release said.

“We are a rural mountain community; we are a small town,” said Mary Ann Morrison, administrator with the Eagle Chamber of Commerce. “This is a real loss.”

All three victims are longtime community members who valued Eagle and the Colorado mountain lifestyle, Morrison said.

“We all hoped they would be found alive. Unfortunately that didn’t happen,” Morrison said. “Out hearts go out to their families.”

Search and recovery efforts were suspended Tuesday afternoon in San Juan County for the three men because of “considerable avalanche danger.”

The avalanche was triggered Monday between Silverton and Ophir in an area called “The Nose,” which is close to the Middle Fork of Mineral Creek. One backcountry skier survived the incident.