Vail, CO – The 24-year-old grandson of Vail Mountain founder Pete Siebert died on Tuesday in an avalanche just outside of the ski resort boundary.

Tony Siebert, who resided both in Boulder and in Vail, was in the East Vail Chutes, a popular sidecountry area located a short hike from Vail Mountain’s Mongolia Bowl T-bar, when the giant slide ripped free on an easterly aspect at 11,400 feet shortly before noon. The avalanche caught Siebert and his three companions. The others were dug out with relatively minor injuries and declined medical attention.

“This is a shocking and terrible tragedy. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to Tony’s entire family,” Vail Mountain Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Chris Jarnot, said in a prepared statement. “I want to acknowledge how integral the Seibert family is to the fabric of our community; their contributions to Vail date back to Vail founder Pete Seibert, Tony’s grandfather. This is an incomprehensible loss and we will support the Seibert family and our community through this difficult time.”

Eagle County Coroner Kara Bettis has indicated that an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) had listed the avalanche risk as “considerable” in the area on Tuesday.

The victim’s mother, Teri Salani Seibert, serves as a Vail Mountain ski patroller.