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Avalanche Tragedy: Two Killed in Washington Backcountry
12 Jan
Summary
- Two men died in an avalanche while snowmobiling near Longs Pass.
- Survivors used a Garmin satellite device to alert rescuers.
- Heavy snowfall preceded the fatal avalanche in Washington.
A tragic avalanche in Washington's backcountry has claimed the lives of two men. The incident occurred Friday afternoon near the Longs Pass trail when a group of four men on snowmobiles was caught in a slide. Two individuals were killed, while two others survived and were able to signal for help using a Garmin satellite device.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the remote location and successfully rescued the two survivors. However, dangerous snow conditions initially prevented the recovery of the victims' bodies. A subsequent recovery mission involving helicopters and search dogs was deployed the following morning to retrieve the deceased.
The avalanche occurred after a week of heavy snowfall across the state, with reports of up to 35 inches of new snow in some areas. While such events are rare, with Washington typically seeing one to two avalanche-related deaths annually, the region's popular backcountry terrain carries inherent risks.
