According to Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant. Darren Moss.
Authorities have not released the identity of the man who died. However, authorities claim that he was not breathing after being pulled from the snow. He also didn’t survive CPR attempts by another skier. Two witnesses saw the group of skiers get swept away by the snow and helped them to rescue themselves. All were wearing avalanche beacons.
Although all those who were caught in an avalanche were backcountry skiers with experience, there was a warning against skiing in the area. It was located just outside the Crystal Mountain Resort boundaries. Although the conditions are set by the private resort, there is no reason to stop skiers from visiting the area. The property borders the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
According to Frank DeBerry (the resort’s president/CEO), all six men were issued uphill travel passes. This means that they were registered with ski patrol. They also received an orientation on how to access backcountry skiing from the resort’s property.
“Skiers are free to travel wherever they like in the national forest. DeBerry stated that they had been out into the forest, but returned to the resort where the slide took place.
The resort also closed the area where the slide took place earlier in the day. Winds reaching 100 miles an hour caused the closure of Rainier Gondola.
This was the first snowfall of the season. The National Weather Service has issued a warning for the area that snowfalls above 2,000 feet is possible.
“We had a late season, and now there is almost no snow. DeBerry stated that people got excited. “It’s a sport with risk and we all need to remember that.”
Crystal Mountain, which covers 2,600 acres, is Washington’s largest ski resort.
