Remains of Rudi Moder found in RMNP after being missing for 38 years

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justiner
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Remains of Rudi Moder found in RMNP after being missing for 38 years

Post by justiner »

Rudi Moder, described as a 27-year-old West German living in Fort Collins and an experienced winter mountaineer, was reported missing six days after embarking on a planned two- to three-night backcountry ski trip.
https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/11/04/ ... t-collins/
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Re: Remains of Rudi Moder found in RMNP after being missing for 38 years

Post by Jorts »

It does not appear that there have been more avalanches in the same slide path based on tree size and growth.
Seems odd. Especially after March 2018.
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Re: Remains of Rudi Moder found in RMNP after being missing for 38 years

Post by Scott P »

Jorts wrote: Thu Nov 04, 2021 7:45 pm
It does not appear that there have been more avalanches in the same slide path based on tree size and growth.
Seems odd. Especially after March 2018.
1982-1983 was an extreme winter for snowfall in the Rocky Mountains. I don't think it has ever been equalled as far as the amount of territory covered by the extreme snowpack. In spring and summer snowmelt was so great the the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell were almost lost. Much of Salt Lake City was under water and a lot of towns on the west slope of Colorado were flooded as the snowpack melted. Thistle Utah was the only town in US history to be completely wiped off the face of the earth by a natural disaster.

In some places the snowpack may have exceeded 1983, but no year in history has such a huge snowpack covering as large of am area.
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Re: Remains of Rudi Moder found in RMNP after being missing for 38 years

Post by madbuck »

Sad to hear of the story, but I have a respectful romantic view of a spirit of someone we've never met. A bit of a burly multi-day outing in a beautiful place, you'd be alone on that side of Cameron Pass today, let alone 38(!) years ago (West Germany!) on that gear.

May you rest in peace, Rudi.
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Re: Remains of Rudi Moder found in RMNP after being missing for 38 years

Post by peter303 »

The NYTimes article mentioned that more remains are being discovered as so many more people venture into the backcountry because of covid.
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