Washington State Avalanche Leaves 3 Skiers Dead
- Posted on February 19, 2012 at 5:49pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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(AP) — Three skiers were killed Sunday when an avalanche swept them about a quarter-mile down an out-of-bounds canyon at a popular resort, but a fourth skier caught up in the slide was saved by a safety device, authorities said.
The four were among three groups of skiers – about a dozen people in all – making their way through a foot and a half of fresh snow on the back side of Stevens Pass when the avalanche hit. Stevens Pass is in the Cascade Mountains, about 80 miles northeast of Seattle.
All were buried to some extent, but the men who died were swept approximately 1,500 feet down a chute in the Tunnel Creek Canyon area, King County Sheriff’s Sgt. Katie Larson said.
Most of the other skiers, all well-equipped, were able to free themselves and rushed to dig out the victims. They performed CPR on the three men to no avail, Larson said.
The fourth skier who was swept down the mountain, a woman, appeared to avoid a similar fate because of the avalanche safety device she was wearing, Larson said.
Such devices include wearable airbags that can be deployed to help a person float atop an avalanche rather than being buried underneath it, or inflatable bags that create space between a person’s mouth and the snow. It wasn’t immediately known which kind the woman had, said Deputy Chris Bedker of the sheriff’s search-and-rescue unit.
The men who died were believed to be in their 30s and 40s.
“Most of the people involved in this were well-known to the ski community up here, especially to the ski patrol,” Bedker said. “It was their friends who they recovered.”
Initial reports of the avalanche reached the sheriff’s office just after noon, and for some time it wasn’t clear whether the other skiers had also been swept up in the slide.
The Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center on Sunday issued a warning for high avalanche danger for areas above 5,000 feet, saying warmer weather could loosen surface snow and trigger a slide on steeper slopes. The elevation of the avalanche wasn’t immediately clear.
At mid-afternoon, the temperature at the base of the Stevens Pass ski resort was 24 degrees, with light winds and good visibility. The temperature at the top of the mountain was 22 degrees, according to the resort’s website.
John Gifford, the ski area’s general manager, said Sunday that the resort had received 19 inches of snow in the past 24 hours.
Stevens Pass is one of the most popular outdoor recreation areas in the state, with visitors flocking to the scenic site to go cross-country, back-country and downhill skiing, as well as snowshoeing and backpacking.
It‘s been a deadly winter in Washington’s mountains. Four people disappeared in vicious storms while camping and climbing on Mount Rainier last month. The four remain missing, and authorities have said they’re hoping to find their bodies when the snow melts this summer.
Across the West, there had been 13 avalanche deaths this season as of Thursday, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, which tracks avalanche deaths in the U.S.
Experts have said the risk of additional slides in the region could remain high all season. They attribute the dangers in part to a weak base layer of snow caused by a dry winter.
Avalanche deaths are more common in the backcountry than at ski resorts. Out of about 900 avalanche deaths nationwide since the winter of 1950-51, 32 were within terrain that was open for riding at ski resorts, according to the Utah Avalanche Center.
Also Sunday, King County Sheriff’s Sgt. Cindi West said a snowboarder was killed in a separate incident at the Alpental ski area east of Seattle. The snowboarder, a man, went over a cliff.
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BannedByHuffpo
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 11:38pmMore people die annually in skiing and/or snowboarding accidents than have died in US nuclear power plant accidents in the last 50 years. It’s time to BAN SKIING and SNOWBOARDING!! Even if it would save only one life, wouldn’t it be worth it?
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 12:08amWell, saving lives only matters if banning something like guns is involved. Too many liberal Democrats like to do the dangerous Winter Sport thing, so let’s just let it go and continue thinning out the shallow end of the gene pool.
Report Post »GetalifeSLC
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 12:19amWow! Comments to news stories never cease to amaze to me. I’m usually able to refrain from adding another unsolicited opinion unlike those that feel these comment sections are their own personal soapbox. Given that I knew one of the people unfortunate enough to lose their life in the slide today, y’all are gonna hear what I have to say. First off, people just died – have some respect. Second, for those that don‘t participate in backcountry skiing you don’t understand our commitment to the sport. Risk mitigation is an inherent part of the sport along with the realization that avalanches ALWAYS lurk. We accept that risk. Third, the idea that people who participate in backcountry skiing put rescuers lives at risk is misguided. Search and rescue personel are often the same type of people as those they are rescuing. They accept the risk and hardly ever do you hear of rescue personel becoming a casuality.
Report Post »To clarify another point, this group did not break ski area rules in skiing that drainage.
To those that live their lives to obey without question or to live with safety as their primary motive, that’s fine but realize that is your choice. Let others live their lives, for one awesome day in the backcountry puts a smile on your face for days. Some of you seem like you could use more smiles.
They died doing what they loved and will be missed.
NOTYERHUCKLEBERRY
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 9:19pmSorry to hear this. I have skied at White Pass, somewhat south of Stevens for over forty years. The boundaries there are the ski area boundaries. You want to go outside, you are on your own. They post warnings of avalanche danger. If you have to be rescued, you pay a fine and the bill and lose your season pass, if you have one. This has stopped many of the unprepared from going outside.
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 8:45pmIf it would save the life of just one person, maybe we should outlaw or register skis. You, know, the same argument the Democraps use for guns and gun owners.
3 dead and 8 missing in an OUT OF BOUNDS area tells me that somewhere there is a village missing 11 of its idiots. If it were a shooting, the Libs would be all over the front pages and TV spots.
A word to the wise: Obey the LAW and obey RESTRICTED AREAS!
Report Post »Baja
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 7:21pmVery sorry they died. Life is precious. Shows what can happen when you think you’re smarter than the experts who establish safe boundaries. I see people every day speeding on I-90 toward the ski area in their Subarus tailgating there way up to the pass with little regard for speed limits or anyone else’s safety.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 6:59pmSnowboarder goes over cliff…. surely it was marked. If you go beyond the boarders of what is marked as safe; then you are taking your own chances….good luck.
Report Post »Robert999
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 6:32pmThe Hand of the Lord, they should know He abhors gay marriage.
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 7:08pmHe must hate Texas too, he’s trying to burn it down…
Report Post »MissoulaMT
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 7:24pmI googled this accident to make sure it wasn’t folks that I knew. I took the time to create an account of a cyber newspaper that I never read, in a state that I do not reside…to tell you that you’re an idiot.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 7:42pmWhat the Lord abhors is people who are certain they know what He abhors. RIP, fellow snow-sliders.
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 8:16pm@Robert999
The people who were killed might have been just as much against homosexual marriage as you are. We shouldn’t be quick to judge.
Report Post »GetalifeSLC
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 12:30am@qpwillie
Report Post »Those of us that enjoy life have better things to do than worry about fighting against others’ civil rights.
JP4JOY
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 6:19pmPeople that ski out of bounds at resorts never cease to amaze me. The boundaries are set for SAFETY reasons. These skiers go out of bounds, get themselves into trouble and then EXPECT others to risk their lives to save them. Just can’t fix stupid.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 6:33pmI totally agree ..and if you take these kind of chances you should have NO expectation that anyone is going to come to your rescue.
Report Post »TheObamanation
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 6:11pmin a separate incident at the Alpental ski area east of Seattle. The snowboarder went over a cliff … Uuuuuum … what kind of place is this anyhow ?
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 8:47pmIt’s Washington State, adopted home of all the idiots who migrated here from California. They brought their stupidity with them.
Report Post »Dumpster Baby
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 6:01pmSomething something gay marriage.
Report Post »LibertarianForLife
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 6:16pmI KNEW IT AS SOON AS I READ THE HEADLINE. Wow, you people and you magic space fairy. Truly, priceless.
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 7:02pm@LibertarianForLife
Is that what you think Christians believe in – something even remotely like a “magic space fairy”?
Report Post »Gosh, you’re not very bright, are you?