Avalanche at Crystal Mountain ski area kills man, 60

SEATTLE — An avalanche swept through part of a Washington state ski resort used to access backcountry skiing on Saturday, killing a 60-year-old man and temporarily trapping five others.

The avalanche was reported about 10:50 a.m. in the Silver Basin area of Crystal Mountain, about 85 miles southeast of Seattle, said Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Darren Moss.

The identity of the man who died hasn’t been released, but authorities say he wasn’t breathing after being pulled out of the snow and didn’t survive despite CPR efforts by another skier. The other skiers in his group rescued themselves with the help of two witnesses who saw them get swept up by the snow. All were wearing avalanche beacons.

While all of those caught in the avalanche were experienced backcountry skiers, a warning had been issued against skiing in the area, which was just inside the boundaries of Crystal Mountain Resort. The private ski resort determines the conditions, but there is nothing stopping skiers from going there because the property abuts public lands in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Frank DeBerry, the resort’s president and CEO, said all six men held the ski resort’s uphill travel passes, which means they were registered with ski patrol, participated in an orientation on how and where to access backcountry skiing through the resort’s property, and were required to check snow conditions prior to their excursion.

“They had gone out into the forest but ended up back in bounds (of the resort) where this slide occurred,” DeBerry said.

In addition to shutting the area where the slide occurred, the resort earlier in the day closed the Mount Rainier Gondola because of winds reaching 100 mph.

The avalanche came amid the season’s first major snowfall. The area is under a winter storm warning until this morning, with the National Weather Service saying 12 to 15 inches of snow is possible for areas above 2,000 feet.