July. Avalanches Human-triggered and natural avalanches are possible anywhere on the pass and there have been four notable avalanches—three at Yankee Doodle Lake—on Rollins Pass: Railroad era On Tuesday, January 27, 1914, sliding snow from Tunnel #32 "completely covered the track for a long distance" caused a multi-day blockage at or near Yankee Doodle Lake. On Monday, December 10, 1917, an avalanche near Yankee Doodle Lake swept a rotary and assisting engine off of the tracks. The engineer of the assisting engine was "scalded about the head so badly that the bones of the face were exposed and he is not expected to live." Other railroad workers died and several were injured. Post-railroad era Backcountry skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers are advised to check daily avalanche forecasts, practice diligent terrain management, and always carry and know how to use rescue gear, including Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs). • On Wednesday, November 28, 2001, two highly-experienced backcountry skiers triggered a sizable hard-slab avalanche in the Yankee Doodle Lake basin. From the accident report, "The avalanche released from a southeast-facing slope and fell and stopped by crashing through the thick ice of Yankee Doodle Lake. The displaced water resulted in a surge tall along the south shore." The avalanche pushed both men into the lake and one survivor was sent into the center of the lake. The survivor, suffering from hypothermia and frostbite, hiked [to] to the Eldora Mountain Resort where he sought help. The search involved ground crews, air crews, avalanche rescue dogs, and trained dive-rescuers with specialized rubber suits. The body of the second skier was found offshore. Both skiers were well-equipped, including having avalanche transceivers. Following the accident, each year in December, the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group holds a Joe Despres Memorial Dry Land Transceiver Training to include practices for using transceivers, along with avalanche courses, fundraising, and backcountry seminars. • On Sunday, February 14, 2021, a 58-year old male triggered an avalanche on the east-facing slope of Mount Epworth while snowmobiling and perished at Pumphouse Lake. • On Saturday, January 7, 2023, two snowmobilers triggered a fatal avalanche on the eastern slope of Mount Epworth. One snowmobiler, age 58, was wearing an avalanche beacon—his body was recovered the same day; the other man, age 52, was not wearing an avalanche beacon and the recovery operation was postponed until the following day. The recovery operating involved the Grand County Sheriff's