Feb. 12–A string of February avalanche deaths reached Washington earlier this week, when snow buried a veteran Washington State Trooper while he rode a snow bike near Knox Creek in Kittitas County.
The fatal accident marked the 22nd avalanche death in the United States this winter, including 15 this month. With danger levels still high and more snow expected in the Cascades this week, Northwest Avalanche Center forecaster Dallas Glass said education and safety precautions will be crucial for those heading into the backcountry.
“I think it’s wonderful that we are seeing so many people getting out and enjoying the mountains during the winter,” Glass said. “We just want to remind everybody to check the forecast and make sure you have the education to use that forecast.”
The Seattle-based NWAC puts out a daily forecast for 10 different regions in Washington and Oregon on its website, along with a danger rating when possible. That’s dependent on observational reports, so the East Slopes South covering the mountains in Yakima County and southern Kittitas County don’t have a rating.
Six of the other seven areas in the Cascades are rated “considerable danger” or a 3 out of 5 Thursday. Yakima County’s forecast cautioned “Triggering even a small avalanche within new snow at upper elevations may result in a large and deadly avalanche that breaks down to weaker, deeper snow layers.”
Glass said their forecasts depend on the NWAC’s small staff and professional partners such as ski patrol, State Parks employees and the Department of Transportation. They also rely on public observation and have seen a notable uptick in those contributions this season, according to Glass.
He stressed the importance of education and bringing the proper tools into the backcountry, notably a shovel, avalanche beacon and a probe. The NWAC, the American Avalanche Institute and the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education all offer free safety training courses online.
“I would actually say there’s more educational opportunities than ever this year,” Glass said. “There is absolutely no excuse for not getting educated this season.”
White Pass recently opened up its Avalanche Beacon Park just below High Camp Lodge, where visitors can practice transceiver searches. Spokesperson Kathleen Goyette said the ski area won’t offer its usual avalanche course, but information on more advanced training courses is available on the NWAC’s website.
Shannon Mahre said she plans to host an Intro to Backcountry Course at High Steppe Climbing Center on March 6. Registration will be available at mahremade.com/store and the course includes training at an undetermined location in the mountains.
Above-average snow has already dropped more than 100 inches at many high elevation areas, including White Pass. Glass said it’s possible cold temperatures and snowfall could raise avalanche danger this weekend, and the risks are unlikely to go down.
Washington ranks second only to Colorado with 34 avalanche deaths since 2010, according to data from the Colorado Avalanche. Steve Houle’s death Monday near Cle Elum marked just the second avalanche death since the 2017-18 season, when seven Washingtonians died in avalanches.
The 22 Americans already killed by avalanches makes this the deadliest winter through Feb. 10 in at least a decade. In 2015-16, 21 people had died by avalanches at this same point before the winter ended with a total of 30, just six shy of the all-time record set in 2009-10.
