WA Avy deaths

Yesterday (Friday), a friend of a friend's cousin died while snowshoeing just outside the Mt. Baker ski area. She was a student at Western Washington U. The other woman is in the hospital after being buried 3 feet deep for 20+ hours, and the 3rd person in the group, another student, dug himself out after 20+ hours and called for help today.

Today, another woman died near Snoqualmie Pass while snowshoeing.

Be careful out there, because they are calling for another couple feet of snow over the next few days.

First my condolensces (spel?) to the friends and family. Second, how the hell were they buried for 20+ hours and managed to come out alive.

With the very recent warm day in Tahoe the BC has become dangerous as well. Tom Wayes told me there was 6 feet in Blackwood canyon and a nice dry layer under a couple feet of slop. Be careful for sure.

Saturday, December 13, 2003 · Last updated 10:19 p.m. PT


Search for missing snowshoer suspended


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- A woman remained missing Saturday after being buried in an avalanche near Snoqualmie Pass, and two people were recovering after being caught in another snow slide on Mount Baker that killed a woman over the weekend.


On Friday, an avalanche killed one woman and injured another woman and a man as the group was snowshoeing near Mount Baker ski area, the Whatcom County Sheriff's office said.


All three were students at Western Washington University, officials said.


"They were buried in a naturally releasing avalanche in the backcountry between Artist Point and Table Mountain, two miles south and outside of the ski area," said Gwyn Howat, a spokeswoman for the ski area.


Howat said a 30 inch cap of snow, about 100 feet wide, was released in the avalanche.


Authorities said the man managed to dig himself out Saturday and was later found by a group of skiers. They then helped recover one of the women, who was suffering from hypothermia and frostbite. The second woman was dead at the scene.


The avalanche Saturday near Snoqualmie, about 50 miles east of Seattle, occurred just before noon. It buried a 37-year-old woman on the Snow Lake Trail, just north of Alpental ski area. The woman was one of nine people snowshoeing on the trail when the avalanche occurred, KING-5 TV reported.


One member reported the incident by using a cell phone to call 911, King County emergency officials said.


It was unclear whether the woman was wearing a radio transceiver, said Sgt. John Urquhart, King County Sheriff's spokesman.


At least 13 ski-patrol members and workers with King County Explorer Search and Rescue and Seattle Mountain Rescue, along with two search dogs, were involved in the search, said Sharon Reig, King County communications center supervisor.


The search was suspended after about eight hours, around 7:30 p.m., and was expected to resume Sunday.


Threat of avalanche forced road crews to shut down a 50-mile section of Interstate 90 in both directions between North Bend and Cle Elum for about three hours Saturday, said Mike Westbay of the state Department of Transportation. The road was reopened around 6:30 p.m.


A winter snowstorm warning was in effect through Sunday night, the National Weather Service said. Heavy snow was expected on the west slopes of the Cascades, with 3 to 5 inches of snow accumulating south of Stevens Pass.

ane Stebbins
December 12, 2003
SUMMIT COUNTY - Backcountry users are advised to use extra caution in the next couple of days as new snows have increased the chances of avalanches for the first time this winter.

According to forecaster Knox Williams with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), three slides were reported Wednesday - all of which were triggered by explosives at Breckenridge and Copper Mountain ski resorts.

High winds, however, will create additional slab formations on northeast aspects above timberline.

Also, reports from Vail Pass and Copper Mountain indicate there is a weak snow cover on a variety of slope aspects, Williams said.

Weather forecasts for the central mountains today and Saturday call for partly cloudy skies with isolated snow showers. High temperatures will range from 14 to 24 degrees and lows from -5 to 5 degrees.

Williams has rated the avalanche danger in the backcountry as moderate, with areas rated as considerable near and above timberline on north and southeast slopes.



Jane Stebbins can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 228, or

Well as one who was just ragdolled 900' over 2, 30' cliffbands by an avie on Fri 12/12. Paulina pk in central OR, snowmo towin w/ 3 friends. All I can say is I'm VERY VERY glad to be alive. I was extremely lucky. No broken or ruptured parts. Just a very sore shoulder and very very sore back, bit and bruised tongue. Trashed my new helmet, not even a headache, Phew! Guess it did it's job. I ended up stopping about 20' short of the dense trees. Not even a partial burial. Just as the snow slowed up I got myself facing down the fall line, stood up and turned. To find myself knee deep looking up the chute I just gotten ragdolled down. My bad decision plain and simple. Early season jones and 12"+ of new. Lost a XXX and broke the other. Cheap considering some of the alternatives.
This is my 1st and last avie ride.
So for all those that say "it won't/can't happen to me" dream on! It's not if, but when in dangerous conditions.
:eek:

Schralper...what if any precautions did you take prior to choosing your route. Did ya dig a pit? where you wearing a beacon?

Glad you survived...lucky sumofabitch.

glad you're still among us Schralper that's facking scary shit man!
It is very deep out there (here in WA)

so HEY!

let's be careful out there eh!

I skied alpine today and they were bombing like crazy til about 10:30. Stay safe out there

thats crazy, and scary... I was skiing pretty close to that area on friday... just inside the boundry though.

Alkasquawlik-
Wayes was right-
My friend last Tuesday was up in blackwood sledding and triggered a slide and had to hike out. He deffinitly got a good scare, only burried half way.

I am finishing up finals on wed. down here in chico, we will have to meet up and take some runs.

Quote:

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Originally posted by The Skier
Alkasquawlik-
Wayes was right-
My friend last Tuesday was up in blackwood sledding and triggered a slide and had to hike out. He deffinitly got a good scare, only burried half way.

I am finishing up finals on wed. down here in chico, we will have to meet up and take some runs.

---

I think I know you?? Maybe. Whatever. I'll be around.

Holy shit, that sucks. I hadn't heard about that, I was wondering about the signs warning people about the backcountry.

Heavy loading going on over the weekend, too. Over 40" since Friday, with strong winds. Saw a few people on the front side of hemi and thought that was pushing it a bit.

Good to have you here this morning Schralper.

UGH! damn am I ever sore today!
As for the tranceiver, fer sure. 'bout the only place around here I always have all the gear. Tranceiver, probe, shovel, avalung, lucky rabbits foot. As for a pit. No, we didn't dig one that run. The pits we've dug have not been as representitive as I'd like to see. The thing is when we do, its freakin totally different in every chute. Even between the top and partway down. Sometimes stable @ top but slabby down where the chute tightens up. This was a point release of dry snow. Once it got moving I was just goin along for the ride. SCARY! :eek: Should of waited for more settling in the snowpack. My bad, lucky for me not permant bad.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Schralper
UGH! damn am I ever sore today!
As for the tranceiver, fer sure. 'bout the only place around here I always have all the gear. Tranceiver, probe, shovel, avalung, lucky rabbits foot. As for a pit. No, we didn't dig one that run. The pits we've dug have not been as representitive as I'd like to see. The thing is when we do, its freakin totally different in every chute. Even between the top and partway down. Sometimes stable @ top but slabby down where the chute tightens up. This was a point release of dry snow. Once it got moving I was just goin along for the ride. SCARY! :eek: Should of waited for more settling in the snowpack. My bad, lucky for me not permant bad.

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Glad your here to talk about it man! What a wakeup call! I was thinking about doing some bc this past weekend, but decided against it because it dumped good on Friday and Saturday. Resort conditions were kickass anyway. Hope you feel better soon.