dies during avalanche

We Well know that march is Avalanche Awareness month.

I found this in the news.<>ASPEN, Colo. (March 7) - A man taking an avalanche awareness class died after being trapped in a slide outside the boundaries of the Aspen Highlands ski area, sheriff's officials said.
The man died within a half-hour of being pulled alive from the avalanche Sunday, said Ann Stephenson of the Pitkin County sheriff's office.
His name, age and hometown were not released until his family could be notified. Officials were investigating the death.
The man was in a group of six people who were part of a class sponsored by the backcountry expedition company Aspen Expeditions, Stephenson said. A man answering the phone at Aspen Expeditions referred all questions to authorities.
It was not clear what triggered the avalanche.
Early estimates were that the avalanche slid 3,000 vertical feet and was about 100 to 200 yards wide, said mountain weather and avalanche forecaster Scott Toepfer of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
Twenty people have died nationwide in avalanches this winter.