Northwest Avalanche Accident Summaries

Following an avalanche fatality or a serious avalanche incident, NWAC will post a short summary below. Our goal is to post a full report within 3 weeks of the incident. NWAC will investigate non-fatal incidents as time and staff resources allow. Read more about NWAC’s incident reporting policy . Visit www.avalanche.org to view the national avalanche accident database. 

NWAC will list all avalanche fatalities in WA and OR states. For avalanche fatalities or serious incidents that occur outside of NWAC’s forecast area, we will link to the local avalanche center’s report.

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
3/30/2024	Mount St Helens, WA	On Friday, March 29, 2024, a solo splitboarder climbed to the top of Mount St Helens via the Worm Flows route. While near the crater rim he triggered a large cornice causing him to fall several hundred feet into the mountain’s crater. The cornice subsequently triggered a large slab avalanche. Based on visual evidence, the victim was caught and carried by this slide several hundred more feet down the slope. The climber survived this initial avalanche.  With his gear still located at the top of the summit ridge, he then attempted to climb out of the crater. After exploring several options through the very steep upper slopes, he opted to ascend a short narrow sub-ridge. Clues suggest it is more likely than not that on this exposed slope, he triggered another avalanche that caused him to fall several hundred feet back into the crater. It’s unlikely the climber moved after the second slide.  Climbers found the victim’s gear at the summit ridge the next morning and called 911. SAR recovered the victim later that day from the crater.	Mount St Helens 3/29/2024	1
3/5/2024	Jim Hill, Stevens Pass, WA	A party of three backcountry skiers ascended the north ridge of Jim Hill. Just below the summit ridge, they transitioned to downhill travel. Skiers 1 and 2 were highest on the slope, with skier 3 below. Skier 1 began traversing and made about three turns, when he triggered a small loose slide that initiated a deeper and wider slab avalanche. Skier 3 was near a group of small trees when the avalanche came from above and carried him down the slope. Skier 3 was completely buried. Skiers 1 and 2 switched their avalanche transceivers to ‘search’ mode and traveled down the debris. As skier 1 put his transceiver on the snow for a fine search, he moved enough snow aside to uncovered the gloved hand of skier 3. Skier 1 and 2 dug skier 3 out of the snow and uncovered his airway within 2-3 minutes of the initial burial.	Jim Hill 3/5/2024	0
3/1/2024	Darland Mountain, Ahtanum Meadows, WA	On Friday, March 1, 2024, two snowmobilers were riding on Darland Mountain in Ahtanum Meadows State Park. At around 10:30 am, the pair moved to an area locally known as Hidden Bowl. Rider 1 first attempted to climb the slope and returned to near the base of the feature. Rider 2 then attempted to climb the bowl when he triggered an avalanche. He was caught, buried, and killed in the avalanche.	Darland Mt 3/1/2024	1
1/28/2024	Mission Ridge Ski Area, WA	At approximately 12:00 pm on Sunday, January 28th, the second skier in a group of three triggered an avalanche near the top of Nertz run within the Mission Ridge Ski Area. One skier was caught, carried, lost their skis, and sustained a knee injury. However, they were able to self-extricate from the debris. The two other members of the party were not caught by the slide. Patrol closed the area and performed visual, transceiver, probe line, Recco, and dog team searches of the debris. No other people were involved in the event. The wet slab avalanche failed on old crust and facet layers, including the December 30th crust, Solstice Crust, depth hoar, and the ground in places.	Mission Ridge Incident 1/28/2024	0
		Total Fatalities		2

2023/2024

2022/2023

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
3/15/2023	Paulina Peak, Deschutes Co, OR	Preliminary Report: On March 15th, a snowboarder descending Paulina Peak triggered an avalanche. There were three members of the team. One sustained fatal injuries despite hours of resuscitation efforts. The other two members of the party were unharmed. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue was notified of the accident and is conducting recovery efforts.	Report Pending: Visit The Central Oregan Avalanche Center for more information.	1
3/15/2023	Slate Mt, WA	On Wednesday, March 15, two backcountry skiers were traveling on Slate Mt in the Mt Baker backcountry. The avalanche occurred soon after the first skier began his descent of the SE face. He was caught and carried by the slide and sustained significant traumatic injuries. His partner initiated rescue efforts which ultimately included a helicopter evacuating the severely injured skier from the scene and transporting him to the hospital. NWAC is working with local partners to gather more information. (S-SE, ~6100ft).	Slate Mt Incident 3/15/2023	0
3/2/2023	Black Crater, Three Sisters Wilderness, OR	Two backcountry skiers were skiing in the caldera on Black Crater when they triggered a slab avalanche. Skier #1 was caught and carried by the slide. Skier #2 used his avalanche safety gear (avalanche transceiver shovel, and probe) to locate Skier #1 and performed life-saving measures. However, Skier #1 succumbed to his injuries.	Read the preliminary report from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Central Oregon Avalanche Center.	1
2/26/2023	Bearpaw Mt, Canyon Creek Area, WA	3 backcountry travelers in the Bearpaw Mt area of Canyon Creek snowmobiled to a ridgeline before transitioning to ski/ride. On their second lap, the first person on the slope triggered a large slab avalanche on WNW aspect around 5600′. The skier pulled his airbag’s trigger, but the airbag did not deploy and he was carried downhill. Initially, the skier was not deeply buried. However, a second wave of debris, “possibly hangfire or additional sluff” buried him more deeply. The skier was buried upright and was able to punch his hand toward the surface and call for help. The two snowboarders in the group quickly arrived on the scene and dug him out. The injured party’s head was 2-3 ft beneath the snow surface. The other riders splinted his injured leg and extricated the skier down to lower-angle terrain. The party evacuated the skier by snowmobile and he received additional medical care. The skier sustained several orthopedic injuries.	Bearpaw Mt Incident 2/26/2023	0
2/24/2023	Chair Peak, WA	A solo backcountry tourer triggered an avalanche while skinning across an unsupported bench above the Cache Couloir on the north side of Chair Peak. He was caught by the slide and carried over a large cliff band. He came to rest in the bottom of the couloir just above Snow Lake. Nearby parties heard his yells, responded to the accident, and provided first aid care. King County Sheriff’s Office/ Medic One Helicopter evacuated the injured party from the scene.	Cache Couloir Incident 2/24/2023	0
2/19/2023	Colchuck Peak, WA	A group of six climbers attempted to climb the Northeast Couloir route on Colchuck Peak. At approximately 1:15pm, while ascending the route, the lead climber triggered a slab avalanche that caught and carried four members of the team approximately 1000ft to the base of the climb. Three of the climbers suffered fatal traumatic injuries, and a fourth sustained lower extremity injuries. The remaining climbers attempted to evacuate all individuals but were unsuccessful. Subsequent natural avalanches impacted the accident site in the hours following the event. The Chelan County Sheriff’s office was notified of the accident on Monday, February 20th. Chelan County Mountain Rescue traveled to the site and assisted the injured party member to the trailhead. Recovery efforts will be ongoing this week as weather and avalanche conditions allow. NWAC is working with Chelan County Sheriff’s office and will provide updates as more information becomes available.	Colchuck Peak Fatalties_2/19/2023	3
2/12/2023	Josephine Lake, Stevens Pass area, WA	Two groups of skiers met up on the skin track and headed towards a northeast aspect on Point 5463, just north of Josephine Lake. One skier descended without incident. The second skier cut over a convexity on the steep, unsupported slope and triggered the avalanche. The slide released well above the second skier who was carried roughly 200ft downslope and buried next to a couple of small fir trees. The skier was positioned horizontally, head downslope, airway under the debris, and boots above the surface. The skier had a small air pocket. It took the party roughly 10 minutes to extract the skier. They initiated the search with transceivers and saw the victim’s boots as they got closer. No injuries were reported other than a bruised leg. The skier lost skis and a pole in the slide but they were recovered, and the group self-evacuated. An investigation and crown profile revealed that the avalanche (HS-ASu-R2-D2-O) ran on a thin layer of rounds and rounding facets (0.5mm) immediately above a crust believed to have been buried on January 15th (MLK crust). The crown was approximately 30m wide, averaged 80cm deep, and ran roughly 600 vertical feet.	n/a	0
1/22/2023	Mt St Helens, WA	On Sunday, January 22, 2023, a group of 8 riders departed the Marble Mt SnoPark on the south side of Mt St Helens en route to the Plains of Abraham. The group was spread out over a few small drainages playing on different slopes and features as they traveled. Around 9:50am the lead rider was traversing across a steep side slope when he triggered an avalanche. The slide broke 10-15ft above him, carried him down the slope, and buried him under approximately 6 ft of snow. Another member of the group witnessed the event and radioed his teammates for help. Six other riders converged on the scene. The buried victim was located with a transceiver and probe. The group then quickly dug out their teammate, uncovering him 10-15 min after the slide occurred. The victim was reported as cyanotic and not breathing. However, after a few moments he spontaneously began breathing on his own and ultimately regained consciousness. The party located his snowmobile buried under approximately 10ft of snow. The rider was taken to the hospital for evaluation but did not sustain any significant injuries and was released that afternoon.	Mt St Helens Incident 1/22/2023	0
12/2/2022	Table Rock Mountain, East of Walla Walla, WA	Incident Outside of NWAC’s Forecasting Zone: On December 2, 2022, three individuals on snowmobiles/snow bikes were recreating near Table Rock Mountain and the Bluewood Ski Area, east of Walla Walla, WA. The group was traveling spaced out along a summer road bed that traversed below an avalanche start zone. While on the road, they likely triggered the slide with the avalanche releasing above one of the riders. He was subsequently caught, carried, and sustained significant injuries. His partners were able to contact emergency services. A Spokane County Sheriff’s helicopter responded to the scene and was able to hoist the injured party from the scene.	Table Rock Mountain 12/2/2022	0
		Total Fatalities		5

2021/2022

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
4/5/2022	Mt Hood Meadows Ski Area, OR	One of the most difficult realities of events like this is that we will never know the complete picture and are often left with more questions than answers. After extensive review, we are unable to conclude whether the snowboarder’s death due to asphyxiation was more likely caused by snow burial from an avalanche or immersion in deep snow. On April 5, 2022, the victim loaded the Silver Star Chairlift at Mt Hood Meadows Ski Area and made his way to a small avalanche path known as Patty Cakes in the Narrows area of Clark Canyon. The victim was found four days later buried under approximately a foot of snow in a creek hole at the base of the path.	Clark Creek Fatality 4/5/2022	N/A
1/7/2022	Roslyn, WA	An 80-year-old man was fully buried by a roof avalanche in the town of Roslyn, WA on Friday 1/7/22 at approximately 1215.  His wife heard the event and called 911. Rosyln Fire responded and was on scene within 6 min of the accident. The man was quickly located due to a hat near the surface, shallow burial, and relatively unconsolidated snow. He was buried for approximately 9 min, with his head about 1 ft below the snow surface.  The subject was transported to a local hospital due to a knee injury but was otherwise unharmed. This event followed a four day storm cycle that dropped 56 inches of snow in the area.
1/6/2022	Hwy 97A, south of Entiat, WA	At approximately 4:30am on January 6, 2022 a large avalanche hit a house along Highway 97A above the Columbia River, south of Entiat. Avalanche debris damaged the front door and both garage doors. Debris came into the house and into the garage. Cosmetic damage occurred to a section of gutter and roof. A sedan was slightly damaged when it was hit while parked in front of the house and fully buried. The residents were unharmed and were evacuated from the scene safely. The avalanche (SS-N-R3-D2.5-O/G) had a wide starting zone that encompassed SE-E-NE aspects. Crown dimensions were estimated at a width of 1500ft, with an average crown depth of 16”. The avalanche started at around 2,600ft and ran down to the house at 820ft. The avalanche likely failed on depth hoar near the ground. The residents had constructed a diversion berm uphill of the house which was overrun by the avalanche. In the 30 years they had owned the property the owners had never observed avalanches. The house was built in 2014. News article in Wenatchee World.
1/2/2022	Back Bowls, Alpental Resort, WA	On Sunday morning a group of five skiers traveled along the high traverse within the Back Bowls area of the Alpental Ski Resort. The skiers traveled one at a time and regrouped partway along the traverse at a stand of trees. Shortly after the second skier left the trees and continued along the traverse, a natural avalanche released below the cliffs directly above traverse and hit the two lead skiers. The first skier was knocked over and tumbled a few times before regaining his feet and skiing out of harm’s way. The second skier was hit directly and carried about 200 vertical ft. He was completely buried except for his hand. The three skiers still in the stand of trees were able to see the buried individual’s hand and quickly responded. They cleared the buried skier’s airway and excavated him within 5 min. The buried skier’s head was aimed downhill and buried under a foot of snow while his feet were under 4 feet of snow. Neither individual involved in the incident sought medical attention afterward. The avalanche may have been a Wind Slab triggered by natural cornice fall. Estimated details: HS-NC-R2-D2; E-NE aspect at 5400’, crown 18” deep/100’ wide; vertical fall 800’.
12/11/2021	Silver Basin, Crystal Mt area, WA	On Saturday morning, December 11, a party of six backcountry tourers were traveling uphill in a closed section of the Crystal Mountain Ski Area known as Silver Basin. The party triggered a large avalanche on an NE to E facing slope at approximately 6600’. While all members of the party were initially caught, three were fully buried. A nearby party of two witnessed the event and immediately assisted in the rescue. Crystal Mountain Ski Patrol was also notified and responded to the scene. Unfortunately, one of the fully buried victims did not survive. SS-ASu-R3-D2.5-U; Depth: Approx. 2’, Width Approx. 600’, Vertical Fall: 650’	Silver Basin Fatality 12/11/2021	1
		Total Fatalities		1

2020/2021

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
05/16/2021	Mt Shuksan; Price/West Nooksack Glaciers, WA	Two climbers carrying skis ascended terrain between the West Nooksack Glacier and Price Glacier on Mt. Shuksan. While attempting to cross a snow covered section of a ridge separating the respective glacier basins, the pair encountered wet unconsolidated snow they could not protect. The party reversed course, descending roughly 100 ft when a cornice fall off the Nooksack Tower ridgeline initiated a wet loose avalanche. The avalanche caught and carried both victims approximately 1800 ft over a small ice cliff, through a snow gully with exposed rock, and ultimately deposited both on the surface below. After relocating 500 ft downslope the pair contacted emergency services using a satellite communication device. NPS staff extracted the climbers by helicopter within 2 hours. One member of the pair sustained lower leg injuries. Avalanche (estimated): Aspect: N, Elevation: 6700′, WL-NC-D2.5, 2600′ vertical.
04/10/2021	Run 261, Above Great Scott Bowl, Alpental Valley, WA	Three skiers exited the Alpental Ski Area boundary and ascended on foot to a small knob (5440’) above a run known as 261. While descending from the knob, skier 1 entered a NW facing slope where he triggered the avalanche. After triggering the avalanche, skier 1 attempted to ski down the slope and over the cliff. Upon landing on the slope below the cliff, the skier was fully buried. The avalanche ran into the very popular backcountry area Great Scott Bowl and Pineapple Pass. His partners descended the slope by going around the cliff band. They then located and uncovered their friend. Skier 1 was fully buried for less than 5 minutes and sustained shoulder and knee injuries from the incident. The group descended towards the bottom of the bowl. They stopped with one skier continuing on to the ski area for help. Alpental Patrol reached the remaining party and used a sled to extract the victim to the trailhead. Alpental Patrol and NWAC staff visited the site on the morning of 4/11 to investigate the accident. Avalanche: NW, 5100-5200′, m=40, SS-ASu-R3-D2-I, Crown 10-12″ deep, 150′ wide, 350′ vertical run. https://youtu.be/3mracOi1hjQ	Alpental Valley Accident 4/10/2021
2/20/2021	Huntoon Point, Mt Baker Area, WA	A group of 4 backcountry travelers were riding near Huntoon Point in the Mt. Baker backcountry. Prior to descending the slope, a ski cut was placed near the entrance to the line with no results. A snowboarder in the group then triggered a large avalanche while descending. The avalanche  broke above the rider and was 60ft wide and 12-18in deep. She was caught and carried downhill, and partially buried with her airway exposed. The rider sustained a head laceration during the involvement that required stitches. The group was able to self rescue, and traveled to the backcountry gate near Austin Pass where they met Mt. Baker Ski Patrol and received medical assistance. Avalanche: NE aspect, 5000ft, SS-ARu-D2-S
2/8/2021	Knox Creek, Salmon la Sac area, WA	Two snow bike riders were caught and buried by a very large avalanche in the mountains west of Salmon la Sac Sno-Park along Cle Elum Lake. One snow biker was partially buried and was able to dig himself out. The other rider was fully buried and killed by the avalanche. The avalanche occurred on a north aspect at 4400 ft in the Knox Creek drainage. This terrain lies in NWAC’s East Central forecast zone. Avalanche classification: HS-AV-R3-D3-O. Post-incident investigation video.	Knox Creek Accident 2/8/2021	1
2/7/2021	Jim Hill, Stevens Pass, WA	Two parties of backcountry skiers, 4 total, were involved in an avalanche around 6,100ft on a NE aspect of Jim Hill. The slope released just above one party. Skier 1 was partially buried, freed himself, and visually located his partner. Skier 2 was carried downhill and buried with an arm above the surface. She was able to clear her airway of snow and was extracted with the help of skier 1.  The second party was 400ft below. Skier 3 pulled himself up a tree as debris flowed under him, catching one ski. A fourth person was not affected by the avalanche. Both parties were ascending an existing skin track when the avalanche occurred. One party had already skied the slope twice. No serious injuries were reported and the skiers returned to the trailhead without assistance. The avalanche was categorized as HS-AS-D3-O, 2-3 feet deep x 700 feet wide x 1,100 feet vertical.
2/6/2021	Easton Sno-Park off of I-90, WA	A group of 4 used snowmobiles to access terrain for backcountry snowboarding starting from the Easton Reload Sno-Park. On a NW aspect, estimated at 5,800ft they triggered a very large avalanche which fully buried one snowboarder. The group quickly located and uncovered the victim within 3 minutes. He was uninjured and was able to return to the trailhead without assistance. https://nwac.us/public-obs/20210206_easton/
1/31/2021	Bryant Peak, Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Two skiers were caught and carried by a slab avalanche in the Alpental Valley. One skier sustained a knee injury. The crown depth varied from 4 to 20 inches and was estimated to be a size D2 avalanche. The party ended up traversing above cliffs between Great Scott Bowl and the Bryant Peak Couloir in low visibility conditions. After descending 200-300 vertical feet they realized that they had been cliffed out. The skiers ascended back uphill, first following their ski tracks on skis and then by bootpack when they triggered an area of wind-affected snow. The avalanche swept both skiers 300 vertical feet through trees and over small cliff features, narrowly missing larger cliff bands. The slide occurred on a NE aspect around 5200′. Alpental Patrol responded to help extricate the injured skier while the other skier was able to exit unassisted.
		Total Fatalities		1

2019/2020

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
2/17/20	Mt. Herman, Mt. Baker area, WA	One skier in a party of three triggered and was caught and carried by a slab avalanche that released on a SE aspect around 5500′ in an area of Mt. Herman known as East Gully above Bagley Lakes. The skier was carried up to 100′ downhill before hitting and being pinned against a tree. He was able to free his left arm and immediately cleared his airway. His partners helped extract him. The skier suffered minor injuries but was fortunate enough to recover all of his gear and ski down unassisted.  Photo by reporting party – 2/17/20
2/16/20	Skyline Ridge, Stevens Pass, WA	Three skiers on Skyline Ridge above Skyline Lake triggered a large avalanche. They reported a large collapse just before the avalanche released above them. All three party members were caught and two were fully buried. The two fully buried skiers were able to clear their airways. The third member was buried up to his shoulders with one arm free, and was able to self rescue. No serious injuries were reported. The slab avalanche was 2-3 ft deep and occurred on a southeast aspect at approximately 5,400 ft.  Photo by reporting party – 2/16/20
2/8/20	Mt. Baker, WA	A skier was fully buried in an avalanche that occurred adjacent to the Mt. Baker Ski Area. The avalanche was triggered by a traveler from a different party. Mt. Baker Ski Patrol was on the scene immediately, located the victim quickly, dug them out, and cleared their airway. The individual survived and reported no injuries. The slab avalanche was 1 ft deep and at its widest point broke 500 feet across the slope.  Photo courtesy Mt. Baker Ski Patrol – 2/8/2020
1/23/20	Hwy 97, near Blewett Pass, Chelan Co, WA	During the afternoon of January 23, 2020 one person was buried and killed by an avalanche that released from the roof of a home located north of Blewett Pass near Hwy 97. The elevation was approximately 1,700ft above sea level. She was found underneath 4 to 5 ft of debris. She was discovered and excavated some time after the accident and CPR was performed. Additional emergency response arrived within 15 minutes but they were unable to revive her.	Accident Report 1/23/2020	1
1/11/20	Elkhorn Mountains, Baker Co., OR	A 33 year old snowmobile rider suffered fatal injuries as a result of an avalanche in the Elkhorn Mountains. The man was part of a group of 4 riders when the accident occurred in the Rock Creek drainage. None of the other riders were injured. The Wallowa Avalanche Center in conjunction with the USFS National Avalanche Center will gather information and produce a final report.		1
		Total Fatalities		2

2018/2019

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
4/14/19	Aasgard Pass above Colchuck Lake, Stuart Range, WA	One skier in a party of four triggered and was caught in an avalanche while descending from Aasgard Pass during a clockwise traverse of the Enchantments. The wind slab avalanche had a crown estimated at 3”-6” deep and approximately 50’ wide. It started at approximately 6,940 ft on a northwest aspect at 11 am. The skier was carried over a rock bulge down to 6,300 ft and ended up on top of the debris. The skier injured her knees in the slide and was carried down to Colchuck Lake by the group. They used an InReach to message for help. The skier was flown out via Chelan County Sheriff’s Office helicopter at 4 pm.	Chelan County Sheriff’s Office report
4/13/19	Goat Mt. – West, Swamp Creek drainage, North Cascades, WA	One skier in a party of three triggered and was caught in two separate avalanches near the summit of Goat Mt – West after ascending via the summer trail. Poor visibility on the summit ridge led to the skier accidently stepping off a 20 ft cornice. His fall triggered a 1′ deep avalanche that carried him 200 ft before he self-arrested. He tried to regain the summit ridge by climbing to a low point in the cornice-line. As he traversed off the bed surface he triggered a second avalanche that carried him into the main SW facing gully and an est. ~1200 vertical ft. Both avalanches had wind slab characteristics and the second and larger avalanche was est. 3’+ deep and 50’ wide. Remarkably, he was able to stay on top of the 2nd avalanche and came to a rest uninjured. The involved skier was in cell phone contact with his partners and Whatcom Co. Sheriff/SAR. He lost his skis and poles but walked out Swamp Creek to Twin Lakes Rd/Hwy 542 where his partners were waiting.
2/16/19	Cowboy Mountain, Stevens Pass, WA	Two snowboarders left the Stevens Pass Ski Area by dropping south off of Cowboy Ridge.  Partway downslope they realized they had inadvertently left the ski area. While bootpacking back to the ridge, they triggered a large avalanche (SS-AFu-R3-D2) – 5,400 ft, SE aspect, 40 deg slope. The avalanche broke 150 ft wide with an average  crown depth of 27” and caught and carried the pair 400 vertical ft. The avalanche released on a weak layer of facets over a crust. Both snowboarders were partially buried; one up to his head, the other to his waist but they were able to self-rescue without injuries. One snowboard was lost. They hiked up the avalanche bed surface to re-enter the ski area. All photos provided by Stevens Pass Patrol.
1/19/19	Cutthroat Drainage, Washington Pass area, North Cascades, WA	Two skiers in a guided group of five were caught in an avalanche while approaching First Bowl. The natural avalanche failed within new snow (SS-N-R3-D2) as spaced out members of the group traversed an avalanche path at 5800 ft. Skier one and two were caught and carried by the avalanche. Skier one became wrapped around a tree and was partially buried (critical). He sustained back and rib injuries. Skier two was partially buried (not-critical: head was exposed) and sustained minor bruising. During the rescue, skier one’s airway was cleared and the group helped extricate him. Skier two was unable to locate his skis.	Cutthroat Incident 01-19-19
12/31/18	Delancey Ridge, Hwy 20 east of Washington Pass, WA	The first skier in a group of three triggered and was caught and carried 100 vertical ft by a slab avalanche. The skier arrested on top of the debris, was uninjured but did have to locate some lost equipment. The avalanche crown was estimated to be 18-20″ deep, releasing on a south aspect at 6150 ft. The avalanche in total ran about 200 vertical ft and was 150 ft wide. The toe of the debris was estimated to have stopped about 100 ft from another party also touring in the area.
12/30/18	Portly Bowl, Washington Pass area, WA	The first skier in a group of five triggered a large slab avalanche while traversing across the slope with climbing skins. He was caught and briefly carried downslope before becoming entangled in a larch tree. He was partially buried near the snow surface and able to self-extricate quickly. He was not injured but had to locate some equipment lost during the avalanche. The avalanche (SS-ASu-R2-D2-I) released around 6500′ on an E aspect, breaking widely across terrain features and running about 400 vertical ft. The avalanche failed on a layer of recently buried surface hoar, releasing 75 ft above the skier and triggered from relatively lower angled terrain.	Portly Basin Incident 12-30-18
12/18/18	Crystal Mt. Ski Area, WA	A very large avalanche was triggered by a single small explosive at Crystal Mountain Ski Resort. The avalanche failed on a buried persistent weak layer, took out several adjacent avalanche paths, and ran full track to the valley floor. A ski patroller was caught and carried, deploying his airbag during the avalanche. He survived with minor injuries despite the huge size of the avalanche. The avalanche (SS-AE-R4-D4-O) occurred on a N aspect at 6600′.
12/17/18	Bullion Basin, Crystal Mt. backcountry, WA	A splitboarder, the first rider in a group of three, triggered and was caught in a 2′ deep slab avalanche that carried him several hundred vertical feet. He was partially buried (not-critical) up to his thighs. Another party in the area helped dig him out and was uninjured. The avalanche released above 6000 ft on a NW aspect of Bullion Peak. A personal narrative with photos can be found at: http://www.whereiskylemiller.com/avalanche/
		Total Fatalities		0

2017/2018

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
4/11/17	Red Mt., Commonweatlh Basin, Snoqualmie Pass area, WA	The body of a male skier was recovered in Commonwealth Basin on the SW side of Red Mountain by local SAR during the evening of April 11th. The skier was traveling solo with his skis on his pack when he was caught by an avalanche. He was recovered on a treed slope and died of blunt force trauma.	Red Mountain Fatality 4-11-17	1
3/10/17	Hurricane Ridge area, Olympic NP, WA	A snowboarder in a party of two triggered a cornice failure onto a NE facing slope. He had been descending a southeast-trending ridgeline adjacent to the Hurricane Ridge Road at 5300 ft when the cornice failed (6-7 ft deep/15 ft wide). The cornice fall triggered a slab avalanche that ran down the NE slope for about 150-200 ft. The rider initially impacted the exposed steeply-sloping rock and dirt on the edge of the ridgeline before sliding down onto the slope below, moving with, but staying on top of the avalanche for half its path length before coming to a rest. He self-evacuated with only minor impact-related injuries.	Olympic Cornice Failure 3-10-17
3/5/17	East of Stevens Pass, Central Cascades, WA	A skier in a party of 3 triggered a 3-4 foot slab on an east-facing slope around 5600 feet near ridgeline, approximately 2 miles east of Stevens Pass at 3PM. The skiers cut under a roll feature and the third skier triggered a slide which caught him from above. The skier was partially buried (critical). His airways were cleared in 3 minutes and 30 seconds during companion rescue. There were no injuries.
3/4/17	Mt. Herman, Mt. Baker area, WA	Widespread 1-2 ft storm slabs and larger 3-5 ft wind slabs were reported in the backcountry near Mt Baker on Saturday, March 4th. An incident occurred on Mt Herman when a large wind slab on an east aspect was triggered from a party above, partially burying two and completely burying one in a separate party at the base of the slide path. The impacted party was transitioning back to climbing skins when they were caught in the avalanche.
3/4/17	Avalanche Mountain, Snoqualmie Pass area, WA	A skier in a party of 3 triggered a slab avalanche near the summit of Avalanche Mountain (Snow Lake area) on a 38-40 degree west-facing aspect near 5200 ft. The first skier made a few turns and got to a safe place. The second skier triggered the slab and was carried approximately 300 vertical feet down slope until he hit a tree, breaking his femur. The crown was 40 cm (16 in) and the width of the slide was 20 meters (65 ft).	Avalanche Mountain Incident 3-4-17
3/4/17	Cedar Creek Drainage, Washington Pass area, North Cascades, WA	A guided group was heli-skiing when the victim triggered a large soft slab in the Cedar Creek Drainage toward the end of the day. The slope broke above the guide, who skied the slope first, sweeping him downward. The clients searched and rescued the victim who was fully buried (critical) and sustained a head injury. The avalanche was 100 meters wide with a crown depth of 60-80 cm and ran approx. 200 vertical meters.	Cedar Creek Amy’s NCH Incident Report
3/4/17	Hawkins Mt., Central Cascades, WA	Two snowmobilers were caught and carried in an avalanche in a SE-facing bowl on Hawkins Mountain after one snowmobiler in the party high-marked near the top of the bowl and triggered the slide. A separate party of two resting in the run-out below were able to escape on foot but their sleds were caught and buried. Regarding the two snowmobilers caught, one was partially buried (critical) with only his hand sticking out (enabling rescue) and the other was a complete burial and died. Additional snowmobile parties arrived on scene to aid in the recovery effort. The victim was located and extricated after 40 minutes.	Hawkins Mountain Fatality 3-4-17	1
2/28/17	Washington Pass area, North Cascades, WA	A party of four skiing at Washington Pass near the highway hairpin were hit by an avalanche triggered by a natural cornice release onto a NE aspect near Early Winters Spires. Four skiers were caught and carried up to 1000 ft downslope. There was one partial burial (non-critical) and some minor injuries suffered. The cornice release occurred above a cliff band at the top of a northeast facing bowl at about 7500 ft.
2/25/17	Fly Couloir, Lane Peak, Mt. Rainier NP, WA	A large loose dry avalanche (estimated) released naturally in the Fly Couloir in the Tatoosh Range across from Paradise in MRNP and caught 5 out of 6 people ascending lower down in the path. There were 4 skiers in the first group with two climbers behind them. 4 people were partially buried (not-critical) and 1 person was completely buried. All were able to quickly self-rescue. There were some minor injuries.	Lane Peak Incident 2-25-17
2/20/17	Table Mt, Mt. Baker area, WA	The lead skier in a party of four triggered a D1.5 storm slab descending the north aspect of Table Mt. at 5000′. Skier was caught and carried a few hundred feet down slope and sustained minor injuries. The other members of the party were able to assist skier off slope and back to ski area boundary.
2/9/17	Lake Wenatchee, WA	A natural avalanche releasing off the south side of Dirty Face Mountain hit a home on the north shore of L. Wenatchee, damaging a garage door. A local news article and supporting area weather and snowpack data is included in the report.	Lake Wenatchee House Incident 2-9-17
2/5/17	Bullion Basin, Crystal Mt area, WA	Skier triggered and was caught in a storm slab avalanche below Ted’s Buttress. The skier was partially buried (non-critical) and suffered minor injures. The other two skiers in the party were able to dig out the victim after about 10 minutes.	Bullion Basin Incident 2-5-17
1/4/17	Pickhandle Basin, Crystal Mt area, WA	A solo skier (NWAC Professional Observer) triggered a hard wind slab avalanche approaching the SW ridge of Crown Point in the near treeline elevation band, nearly directly in-line with the summit of Crown Point on the west face at 6000 ft. The skier was caught and carried 240 vertical ft but was not buried. He suffered some minor injuies from hitting trees.	Pickhandle Basin Incident 1-4-17
1/4/17	Silver Basin, Crystal Mt area, WA	Solo skier likely triggered and was killed by a hard wind slab avalanche outside the ski area on 1/4/17. The skier was discovered by Crystal Mt. ski patrol the morning of 1/5/17. Crystal Mt. ski patrol and NWAC visited the incident site on 1/6/17 as part of the investigation.	Crystal Mt. Silver Basin Fatality 1-4-17	1
12/27/16	White Pass area, South Cascades, WA	Solo skier triggered and killed in soft slab avalanche about 1 mile west of the White Pass ski area.	White Pass Fatality 12-27-16	1
		Total Fatalities		7

2015/2016

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
3/22/16	Mt. Bailey, central Oregon	From Cat Ski Mt Bailey regarding the death of their lead guide: “While performing avalanche control he was caught in a slide and struck a tree, sustaining fatal injuries.” CAIC Report		1
3/8/16	Chief Joseph Peak, Wallowa Mtns, northeast Oregon	1 skier partially buried and killed by cornice fall. The cornice was unintentionally triggered and the skier was carried 1150 feet down the Central Couloir, a NE facing chute on Chief Joseph Peak.	Chief Joseph Peak Fatality 3-8-16	1
2/6/16	East Peak, Ted’s Buttress, Crystal Mt area, WA	2 skiers caught and carried in a triggered wind slab avalanche and became partially buried. One skier was able to self-extricate and help the other skier dig out. Both skiers sustained injuries, one set of injuries were serious.	East Peak Incident 2-6-16
1/25/16	Lake Marion, Mission Ridge area, WA	Snowmobile burial and airbag deployed for at least one rider on a short slope that slid above a terrain trap. Unclear if there were any injuries. Buried PWL (SH buried Jan 11th) was reactive in the area and public and professional observations noted widespread persistent slab avalanche activity on the interface over the preceding week.
1/24/16	Mt. Herman, Mt. Baker area, WA	2 skiers caught, 1 seriously injured and 1 killed by a wet slab (glide) avalanche	Mt. Herman Fatality 1-24-16	1
12/31/15	Granite Mountain, Snoqualmie Pass area, WA	1 snowshoer caught by a small windslab avalanche and carried into the trees and died of trauma injuries.	Granite Mountain Fatality 12-31-15	1
12/19/15	Kendall Peak, Commonweatlh Basin, Snoqualmie Pass area, WA	1 probable avalanche fatality. The terrain in which the victim was found, his body position, information from the coroner’s report, and documented human and natural avalanches in the immediate and surrounding terrain all support the likelihood of an avalanche fatality.	Kendall Peak Fatality 12-19-15	1
12/17/15	Alpental Valley, Snoqualmie Pass area, WA	2 skiers caught, 1 fully buried and the other partially buried in two separate human triggered soft slab avalanches. Both were able to self rescue and ski out. 1 skier tweaked his knee. 1 skier lost several pieces of gear. See skier narrative for more details.	Alpental Valley Incident 12-17-15
12/6/15	Corona Bowl (closed backside of ski area), Stevens Pass, WA	1 skier caught and fully buried. Other skier in party was able to rescue buried skier. No injuries.	Corona Bowl Incident 12-6-15
		Total Fatalities		5

2014/2015

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
None		No serious avalanche accidents or fatalities reported to NWAC.
		Total Fatalities		0

2013/2014

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
5/28/14 or 5/29/14	Liberty Ridge, Mount Rainier NP, WA	6 climbers, (4 clients, 2 guides) are estimated to have been killed when hit by an avalanche and swept from Liberty Ridge to the bottom of the Willis Wall, between late 5/28 and 5/29/14.	Liberty Ridge Fatalities 5-28-14	6
5/14/14	Mt. Shuskan, Mt. Baker area, north Cascades WA	Two skiers in party, one caught by a natural avalanche while ascending on foot and carried several thousand feet, one fatality.	Mt. Shuskan Fatality 5-14-14	1
4/28/14	Crater Lake, central Oregon	Solo snowshoer presumed dead, involved in a cornice failure; body not recovered as of 5/27/14.	Crater Lake, Oregon Fatality 4-28-14	1
4/27/14	Slot Couloir, Snoqualmie Mountain, near Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Two skiers in party, one skier triggered and caught in avalanche, seriously injured.	Slot Couloir, Snoqualmie Mt. 4-27-14
4/26/14	SR 410 Chinook Pass, south-central Washington Cascades	One bulldozer driver caught and buried in his machine by a natural avalanche while clearing the road.  No injuries to the driver or damage to the vehicle.	Chinook Pass Accident 4-24-14
3/30/14	Paulina Peak, south of Bend, central OR	Three snowmobilers, one snowmobiler triggered and caught, one fatality.	Paulina Peak, Central OR Fatality 3-30-14	1
3/22/14	Granite Mountain, near Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Two skiers in party, one skier triggered and caught in avalanche, one fatality	Granite Mt Fatality 3-22-14	1
3/22/14	NBC Couloir, Colchuck Peak, east slopes WA Cascades	Solo climber, triggered and caught in avalanche, not buried but sustained serious injuries.	Colchuck Peak Accident 3-22-14
3/17/14	Little Zigzag Canyon, Mt. Hood OR	Two skiers, one caught, full burial, no injuries, partner rescue.	Little Zigzag Canyon, Mt. Hood Accident 3-17-14
2/22/14	Chair Peak, near Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Three skiers caught by a deep slab and partially buried, but able to self rescue with no injuries.
2/11/14	Osborne’s Chute, Stevens Pass, WA	One skier, one snowboarder triggered and caught in slide, both partially buried. Skier was able to self-rescue himself and then other rider. Both sustained injuries.	Stevens Pass Accident 2-11-14
2/11/14	Cornucopia Pk, Wallowa Mountains, OR,	Eight skiers, five caught, one uninjured, two injured, two fatalities.	Wallowa Fatalities 2-11-14	2
1/18/14	Lewis Peak, Mountain Loop Hwy, north central WA Cascades	Two climbers, one climber involved with a cornice failure resulting in one fatality.	Lewis Peak Fatality 1-18-14	1
1/4/14	Chair Peak, near Snoqualmie Pass WA	Climber triggered and caught in avalanche, partial burial but able to self-rescue.	Chair Peak Accident 1-4-14
		Total Fatalities		13

2012/2013

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
6/9/13	Illumination Rock, Mt. Hood, OR	Two skiers caught,  one partially buried, no injuries.	Illumination Rock 6-9-13
4/13/13	Granite Mountain, near Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Three climbers caught, 1 fatality.	Granite Mountain 4-13-13	1
4/13/13	Red Mountain, near Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Multiple snowshoers caught, 1 fatality.	Red Mountain 4-13-13	1
4/13/13	Gemini, Stevens Pass Ski Area, WA	Two snowboarders caught, one partly buried.	Gemini 4-13-13
1/15/13	Chair Peak, Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Two climbers caught, one injured.	Chair Peak 1-15-13
12/18/12	Crystal Mt, south central WA Cascades	Three skiers caught, one completely buried.	I-5 Report 12-18-12
11/12/12	Washington Pass, northern WA Cascades	One snowmobiler caught and partially buried.	LB Slide 11-23-12
		Total Fatalities		2

2011/2012

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
2/19/12	Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass WA	Two snowboarders caught, 1 fatality.	WAC Bluff 2-19-12	1
2/19/12	Tunnel Creek, Stevens Pass WA	Four skiers caught, three buried and killed, one survived with air bag deployed.	Tunnel Creek 2-19-12	1
2/19/12	Union Creek Basin, near Crystal Mt, south-central WA Cascades	Three skiers caught, two partially buried and one totally buried. Skiers were able to self extricate and self rescue,  no injuries.	Union Creek 2-19-12
2/19/12	Dogleg Peak, near Crystal Mt, south-central WA Cascades	Solo skier caught and partially buried; able to self-extricate but suffered serious injuries.	Dogleg 2-19-12
1/21/12	Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass WA	Three skiers caught and partially buried, all victims able to self-extricate with no injuries.	A Humbling Lesson 1-21-12
1/1/12	Scout Patrol Peak, Snoqualmie Pass area, WA	Two snowshoers caught, suffered minor bruises.	Scout Patrol Peak 1-1-12
		Total Fatalities		2

2010/2011

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
4/6/11	Mt Snoqualmie, Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Party of five caught with two seriously injured, one with minor injuries.	Mt Snoqualmie Report 4-6-11
4/3/11	Rooster Comb Ridge, Stevens Pass WA	Two snowboarders caught by cornice collapse, which triggered a loose slide on the slope below. One not buried with arm injury, one partially buried and uninjured.	Rooster Comb Cornice Incident 4-3-11
3/27/11	Cowboy Mt/Tunnel Creek, Stevens Pass WA	One snowboarder caught, swept into tree band and fatally injured.	Tunnel Creek 3-27-11	1
3/23/11	Chair Peak, Snoqualmie Pass WA	One skier caught by hard wind slab, uninjured.	Chair Peak 3-23-11
3/5/11	Hooky Bowl near Mt Cashmere, east central WA Cascades	One skier in a group of five caught, carried through trees and fatally injured.	Cashmere Mt 3-5-11	1
3/4/11	Grouse Ridge, Mt Baker WA	One snowboarder caught; victim carried into trees, buried and seriously injured but rescued.	Grouse Ridge Avalanche 3-4-11
2/29/11	Private Reserve area,  Mt Hood Meadows OR	One skier caught and buried with a hand and ski exposed; recovered within 5 minutes unharmed.	Mt Hood Meadows Private Reserve 2-29-11
2/1/11	Red Mt, Snoqualmie Pass WA	Solo skier triggered cornice collapse and was caught, buried and killed by subsequent fall and loose avalanche.	Red Mtn 2-1-11	1
12/4/10	Morning Star Peak, north-central WA Cascades	One hiker/climber caught, partially buried and killed; dog recovered alive.	Morning Star Pk 12-4-10	1
		Total Fatalities		4

2009/2010

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality	Fatality
6/5/10	Ingraham Direct Route, Mt Rainier NP, WA	11 climbers caught, 10 recovered, 1 still missing – presumed dead. Press Releases.			1
4/10/10	Granite Mt, Snoqualmie Pass WA	Solo climber caught and buried, dialed 911 with cell phone and was rescued.  Only short incident form available.	Granite Mt 4-10-10 short form
4/9/10	Kendall Pk, Snoqualmie Pass WA	Two skiers caught and partially buried, 1 slightly injured, 1 critically injured.	Kendall Peak 4-9-10
4/3/10	Mission Ridge, east central WA Cascades	Two snowboarders caught, two partially buried, 1 injury.	Mission Ridge 4-3-10
3/13/10	Mission Ridge, east central WA Cascades	Skier triggered wind slab caught 2, partially burying one; no injuries.	Mission Ridge 3-13-10
2/28/10	Threeway Peak, Crystal Mt aea, south-central WA Cascades	Solo skier caught by avalanche south of ski area boundary. Swept through trees and buried to neck. Able to call patrol via cell phone for rescue.	Crystal Mountain 2-28-10
1/2/10	Paulina Peak, central OR Cascades	One solo snowmobiler caught, buried and killed.	Paulina Peak 1-2-10		1
		Total Fatalities			2

2008/2009

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
3/7/09	Aneroid Basin, Wallowas Mtns, NE Oregon	Three skiers caught, two totally buried and one partially buried. One fatality.	Aneroid Basin 3-7-09	1
2/25/09	Hogsback Mtn, White Pass WA	One skier caught and completely buried.  Partner rescued the buried skier.	Hogsback Ridge 2-25-09
12/30/08	Rockford, eastern WA	Resident caught, buried and killed by roof avalanche while shoveling walk and clearing roof.	Rockford WA 12-30-08	1
12/28/08	Tatie Peak, near Harts Pass, northern WA Cascades	One snowmobiler caught, buried and killed while high-marking.	Harts Pass 12-28-08	1
		Total Fatalities		2

2007/2008

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
2/7/08	Kahler Glen near Lake Wenatchee  north central WA Cascades	A large natural avalanche mostly destroyed a home in the Kahler Glen development just above the Kahler Glen Golf Course.	Kahler Glen 2-7-08
1/4/08	Lake Twenty-two trail near Mt Pilchuck, north-central WA Cascades	Eight hikers caught, partially buried one and completely buried three with one fatality.	Lake 22 1-4-08	1
1/1/08	Excelsior Pass below Church Mt, northern WA Cascades	Five snowmobilers high marking triggered large slab. Five caught, one partially buried, two completely buried and killed.	Excelsior Pass 1-1-08	2
12/18/07	Edith Creek, Mt Rainier National Park, WA	Two snowshoers departed on hike to Camp Muir on morning of 12/18/07. Encountering deteriorating weather conditions they turned around, with victim triggering slab near top of Edith Creek Basin. Victim caught and totally buried, found by probing on 12/21, under ~6-10 ft of snow.	Mt Rainier Edith Creek 12-18-07	1
12/1/07 or 12/2/07	Union Creek, Crystal Mtn south-central WA Cascades	Three snowboarders departed on weekend trip 11/30/07. Reported missing on 12/2/07. Subsequent searches on ground/air found no evidence of the group. Official search abandoned 12/8/07. Final Search and Recovery effort concluded late June ’08 when the three missing snowboarders were found buried in avalanche debris in Union Creek.	Union Creek 12-2-07	3
12/2/07	Crystal Mt, south central WA Cascades	Two ski patrollers caught, 1 totally buried, 1 mostly buried and able to self extricate then rescue partner.	Crystal Mountain 12-2-07
12/2/07	Snow/Source Lake Trail, Snoqualmie Pass, WA	Three hikers caught, 1 partly buried, injured & self rescued, 2 completely buried and killed.	Source Lake 12-2-07	2
		Total Fatalities		9

2006/2007

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
2/25/07	Clark Canyon, Mt Hood Meadows OR	Two skiers caught, 1 partly buried & self rescued, 1 completely buried and rescued by companions.	Clark Canyon 2-25-07
2/24/07	Park Place, Mt Rainier WA	One skier caught, buried and killed.	Park Place 2-24-07	1
		Total Fatalities		1

2005/2006

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
4/18/06	Mt Herman, near Mt Baker WA	One skier caught and killed in Stoneman’s chute.	Mt Herman 4-18-06	1
3/19/06	Tiffany Mt,  east northern WA Cascades	Two snowmobilers caught, one partly buried and injured, one buried and killed.	Tiffany Mountain 3-19-06	1
1/16/06	Terrible Traverse near Mt Hood OR	Three skiers caught and partially buried.	Terrible Traverse 1-15-06
11/8/05	Mt Baker WA	One snowboarder caught and totally buried; found alive by rescuers.	Mt. Baker 11-8-05
11/5/05	Table Mountain near Mt Baker WA	One snowboarder caught and totally buried; found alive by rescuers.	Table Mountain 11-5-05
		Total Fatalities		2

2004/2005

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
1/12/05	Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass WA	Two skiers caught and buried/partially buried– one killed and one self rescued.	Alpental 1-12-05	1
10/24/04	Ingraham Glacier, Mt Rainier WA	Two climbers caught and buried — one killed and one self rescued.	Mt Rainier Ingraham Glacier 10-24-04	1
		Total Fatalities		2

2003/2004

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
6/13/04	Liberty Ridge, Mt Rainier WA	Two climbers caught, buried and killed.	Mt Rainier Liberty Ridge 6-13-04	2
4/26/04	Mt Baker WA	Snowboarder caught and killed.	Mt Baker 4-26-04	1
3/7/04	Morse Creek, Crystal Mt, south-central WA Cascades	Two skiers partially buried, both self-rescued.	Morse Creek Accident 3-7-04
3/5/04 and 3/6/04	Crystal Springs near Stampede Pass and Salmon la Sac, central WA Cascades	Two separate snowmobiling accidents involving highmarking; one resulting in two injured and one resulting in a fatality.	Snowmobile Accidents 3-5/6-04	1
1/31/04	Lake Ann, Alpine Lakes, central WA Cascades	Two snowmobilers completely buried and rescued.	Lake Ann 1-31-04
12/17/03	Navajo Peak, Blewett Pass, east central WA Cascades	One snowmobiler caught, buried and killed.	Blewett Pass 12-17-03	1
12/13/03	Snoqualmie Pass WA	One snowshoer caught, buried and killed.  Victim found 12/20/03.	Alpental Patrol Accident	1
12/12/03	Mt Baker WA	3 completely buried, 2 recovered alive (after ~24 hour burial), 1 fatality.	Mt Baker 12-12-03	1
		Total Fatalities		7

2002/2003

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
3/29/03	Granite Mt, Snoqualmie Pass WA	One skier caught, partly buried, seriously injured.	Granite Mountain 3-29-03
3/7/03	Mt Hood Meadows OR	One snowboarder caught, completely buried, and rescued alive.	Mt Hood Meadows 3-7-03
1/12/03	Golden Gate, Paradise, Mt Rainier WA	Two snowshoers caught, partially buried and dug out.	Golden Gate Trail 1-1-03
12/29/02	Cement Basin, Crystal Mt, south central WA Cascades	Seven caught, three partially buried, one totally buried, one fatality, one injured.	Cement Basin 12-29-02	1
		Total Fatalities		1

2001/2002

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
3/10/02	Granite Mt, Snoqualmie Pass WA	One skier caught and buried, rescued by partner.	Granite Mountain 3-10-02
1/27/02	Gold Creek, Snoqualmie Pass WA	One snowshoer caught, buried and rescued by own dog.	Gold Creek 1-27-02
1/24/02	Source Lake, Snoqualmie Pass WA	Two overnight campers caught while in tent, both self-rescued without major injuries.	Source Lake 1-24-02
1/21/02	Skyline Ridge, Stevens Pass WA	Five skiers and snowboarders caught; four partial burials and one complete burial; two injuries.	Skyline Ridge 1-21-02
1/20/02	Tunnel Creek, Stevens Pass WA	Group of snowboarders caught and carried; one injured and evacuated.	Tunnel Creek 1-24-02
11/24/01	Paradise, Mt Rainier WA	Two boarders, one caught and completely buried and rescued by partner.	Mt Rainier Paradise 11-24-01
		Total Fatalities		0

2000/2001

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
4/11/01	Mt Baker WA	One snowmobiler caught, buried and killed.	Mt Baker 4-11-01	1
2/17/01	Lake Ann, Alpine Lakes, central WA Cascades	One snowmobiler caught, buried and killed.	Lake Ann 2-17-01	1
2/17/01	Crystal Mt, south central WA Cascades	One skier caught, swept through trees, partially buried with serious injuries.	Crystal Mtn Employee Housing
2/3/01	Crystal Mt, south central WA Cascades	One ski patroller caught, swept through trees and partially buried, minor injuries.	Crystal Mtn Kempers 2-3-01
1/30/01	Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass WA	One patroller caught, totally buried and rescued.	Alpental 1-30-01
1/29/01	Twin Lakes, Stevens Pass area WA	Two snowshoers caught, one partially buried, one buried and presumed dead.	Twin Lakes 1-29-01	1
		Total Fatalities		3

1999/2000

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
2/2/00	Government Meadows, Central WA Cascades	Two snowmobilers caught and totally buried. One self-rescued, second rescued after 5 hours with injuries.	Government Meadows 2-2-00
1/19/00	Mt Herman, northern WA Cascades	One skier caught and partially buried, recovered by party members.  Victim was airlifted for serious injuries by Army rescue helicopter.	Mt Herman 1-19-00
1/16/00	East Peak, Crystal Mt, south central WA Cascades	One skier caught, partially buried and injured, rescued by ski area employee.	East Peak Ted Buttress 1-16-00
1/16/00	Crystal Mt, south central WA Cascades	Two skiers in closed ski area, one skier caught, completely buried and died.	Crystal Mountain 1-16-00	1
		Total Fatalities		1

1998/1999

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
2/14/99	Shuksan Arm, Mt Baker WA	One snowboarder and one skier caught, buried and killed by large slab in Rumble Gully.	Shuksan Arm 2-14-99	1
1998-1999 Summary	Pacific Northwest	Multiple Incidents.	NW Accident Summary 1998-99	3
		Total Fatalities		4

1997/1998

Date	Location	Incident Description	Report	Fatality
5/31/98	Mt Hood, OR	Three climbers on the West Crater Rim Route on the south side of Mt Hood were caught, two climbers were partially buried and seriously injured, one was totally buried and subsequently found dead.	Mt Hood 5-31-98	1
1/18/98	Lion Rock near Blewett Pass, central WA Cascades	One snowmobiler caught, buried and killed while highmarking.	Blewett Pass 1-18-98	1
		Total Fatalities		2