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Avalanche victim identified as New Castle man; friends grieving
Snowmobilers were on a groomed trail
RIFLE — Authorities confirmed the identity of a man who died in a midday avalanche Friday, while friends praised him as a kindhearted man whom they miss.
Douglas Ray Davis, 45, of New Castle, was snowmobiling on the road going through Little Box Canyon north of Rifle when he was killed by an avalanche.
“I wish I could have been there, but there was probably nothing a guy could have done,” said Donnie Smith, who’s known Davis since they grew up in New Castle. “It just doesn’t seem real. … I cry. I think about it. It goes away. Then, you know, you get a memory of him. I got pictures of him on the wall. Pictures of him holding my children.”
Smith said Davis was snowmobiling behind a couple of friends from Arizona.
Friends said Davis was an expert rider.
“Doug and I have done a lot of things that were worse than that,” said Larry Thrun, who’s been friends with Davis since about 1988. “It’s just a real unfortunate thing.”
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Davis was the fifth to die in an avalanche in Colorado this year. On average, six die from avalanches each year in Colorado. The center said the avalanche danger below treeline in the area Friday was “moderate,” which means human-triggered avalanches are possible.
Smith and Thrun described Davis as a great friend, husband and father of two young children. Davis was self-employed and did concrete work. Fishing was one of the other activities Davis enjoyed. Smith said Davis just purchased a brand new fishing boat and got sponsored to go on the professional bass circuit — a lifelong dream of Davis’.
“He was kindhearted,” Smith said. “He’d do anything for you. Bend over backwards for you. He was just always there if you needed something. He touched a lot of people.”
“I’m going to miss floating down the Roaring Fork River with him,” Thrun said. “He was just a great friend. Always there. Always had that big smile and those big bright blue eyes. Just a real caring individual.”
Contact Pete Fowler: 384-9121
pfowler@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
Douglas Ray Davis, 45, of New Castle, was snowmobiling on the road going through Little Box Canyon north of Rifle when he was killed by an avalanche.
“I wish I could have been there, but there was probably nothing a guy could have done,” said Donnie Smith, who’s known Davis since they grew up in New Castle. “It just doesn’t seem real. … I cry. I think about it. It goes away. Then, you know, you get a memory of him. I got pictures of him on the wall. Pictures of him holding my children.”
Smith said Davis was snowmobiling behind a couple of friends from Arizona.
Friends said Davis was an expert rider.
“Doug and I have done a lot of things that were worse than that,” said Larry Thrun, who’s been friends with Davis since about 1988. “It’s just a real unfortunate thing.”
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Davis was the fifth to die in an avalanche in Colorado this year. On average, six die from avalanches each year in Colorado. The center said the avalanche danger below treeline in the area Friday was “moderate,” which means human-triggered avalanches are possible.
Smith and Thrun described Davis as a great friend, husband and father of two young children. Davis was self-employed and did concrete work. Fishing was one of the other activities Davis enjoyed. Smith said Davis just purchased a brand new fishing boat and got sponsored to go on the professional bass circuit — a lifelong dream of Davis’.
“He was kindhearted,” Smith said. “He’d do anything for you. Bend over backwards for you. He was just always there if you needed something. He touched a lot of people.”
“I’m going to miss floating down the Roaring Fork River with him,” Thrun said. “He was just a great friend. Always there. Always had that big smile and those big bright blue eyes. Just a real caring individual.”
Contact Pete Fowler: 384-9121
pfowler@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
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