A backcountry outing in Washington state's Cascades turned deadly Friday when an avalanche fully buried two snowmobilers near Longs Pass, authorities say. The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office identified the victims as Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass, per NBC News. They were riding with two other men in a remote area of northern Kittitas County around 4pm when the slide hit. The cause of the avalanche has not been determined. The surviving members of the group used a satellite device to call for help, triggering a response from sheriff's deputies and county search-and-rescue volunteers, who reached the area by snowmobile and on specialized backcountry gear.
The Northwest Avalanche Center described the deceased as "fully buried," adding one survivor was "partially buried and injured," per USA Today. Rescuers brought the survivors out Friday night but postponed recovering the bodies until Saturday because of unstable conditions after dark. The bodies were later airlifted to a search base and turned over to the county coroner. The group's two snowmobiles were also retrieved. The deadly slide came as avalanche danger remains elevated across parts of the West after a series of moisture-laden Pacific storms dumped heavy snow on mountain ranges.
A separate avalanche was reported Saturday in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center said a wind slab fell on a skier, carrying him downhill before sweeping up a companion who tried to help. The skier dislocated a shoulder while grabbing a tree to stop, but the group otherwise escaped serious injury. The National Avalanche Center says five people have died in avalanches so far this winter, including two in California, and one in Wyoming. Officials urge anyone heading into mountain terrain to check avalanche forecasts and carry safety gear such as a beacon, probe, shovel, helmet, and, when possible, an avalanche airbag.
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