The avalanche occurred in the Maroon Bowl area as Galvin and a second skier, who has not been identified, were making their way up the mountain. The second person had non-life-threatening injuries and was able to call for help before skiing out of the area.
Galvin had been a member of Mountain Rescue Aspen for 30 years.
Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo remembered Galvin as a "dedicated and professional public safety volunteer, who unselfishly gave his time to our community."
"John helped save lives of hundreds of visitors and locals who were in need while injured or stranded in our mountains," said Justin Hood, President of Mountain Rescue Aspen. "John will be missed by all our team and in our community."
While an attempt to recover Galvin's body was planned for Monday, risky conditions prevented the effort. The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office will work with members of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center to determine when the recovery operation will be safe.
Photo courtesy Pitkin County Sheriff's Office.