1 Dead, 1 Missing in Avalanches East of Seattle
Published: Apr 14, 2013, 0:42 PM EDT
Associated Press
1 Missing in Avalanche
(PHOTOS: Stunning 'Ice Waves' Captured)
King County Sgt. Katie Larson said rescuers carried a female snowshoer off of Red Mountain in blizzard-like conditions early Sunday. The woman was confirmed dead at the rescue base. She had been hiking with her dog near a group of a dozen other people when an avalanche hit Saturday.
A separate avalanche at Granite Mountain swept a group of three snowshoers more than 1,200 feet. Two men emerged, but a 60-year-old hiker from Kent, Wash., was still missing Sunday morning.
Larson said Sunday the search for that hiker has been suspended indefinitely due to the poor weather conditions.
The avalanches occurred as heavy snow fell near Snoqualmie Pass about 50 miles from Seattle.
“One of the climbers tells me that they had no warning.”
The other person initially reported missing, Chris Soun, told KOMO
the group was about 2 1/2 miles into the wilderness when the avalanche
struck and split the group. He said his friends found him buried against
a tree and dug him out.
Sgt. Katie Larson
"I thought I was dying,'" Soun said.
Several people in the 12-person party made it off the mountain, but most were still there by 5:30 p.m. None is believed to have a serious injury.
The avalanches occurred as heavy snow fell near Snoqualmie Pass about 50 miles from Seattle.
An avalanche meteorologist with the U.S. Forest Service's Northwest Avalanche Center said April snow is particularly susceptible to avalanches, because of warmer daytime temperatures and more sunshine.
"Spring skiing is a tradition here," Garth Ferber said. "April snowfall is common and susceptible to the effects of sun and daytime heating."
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