ASPEN — A skier caught in an avalanche above a popular backcountry hut suffered a broken leg Sunday afternoon, the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office said.

The man was part of a group of four who were staying at Margy's Hut, 15 miles northwest of Aspen. Ann Stephenson, sheriff's office patrol director, said the avalanche happened on the north side of Mount Yeckel; it swept one skier into a grove of trees. The victim suffered a lower leg compound fracture.

The avalanche occurred around 2:30 p.m. Around 6 p.m., another of the party encountered enough cell-phone service to briefly contact authorities. Efforts to call the reporting party back were unsuccessful, but Stephenson said she encountered him at Lenado 90 minutes later.

Members of Mountain Rescue Aspen were in the field Sunday night to evacuate the victim, she said.

Hutski.com describes Mount Yeckel as “the most popular place for downhill skiing” near the 10th Mountain Division hut. The hut is about six miles from Lenado.

cabraham@aspentimes.com