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CHAPTER 7. AVALANCHE
<br />7-2
<br />7.2. HAZARD PROFILE
<br />7.2.1 Past Events
<br />Avalanches occur frequently each year and kill one to two people annually in the Northwest (about 25 to
<br />35 deaths annually in the U.S.). Avalanches have killed more people in Washington than any other hazard
<br />during the past century. In 90 percent of avalanche fatalities, the weight of the victim or someone in the
<br />victim’s party triggers the slide. Avalanches have killed over 200 people in Washington since 1900, and 72
<br />between 1986 and August 2017, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center. This exceeds the death toll
<br />of earthquakes and floods combined. The deadliest avalanche in U.S. history occurred in King County, WA
<br />in 1910, with 96 fatalities resulting from the Wellington Avalanche. Records of avalanches within or
<br />directly adjacent to Kittitas County are shown in Table 7-1.
<br />
<br />Table 7-1. Kittitas County Avalanche History
<br />Date Location Description
<br />1996/97 Snoqualmie Pass Hundreds of travelers stranded after repeated avalanches
<br />closed Interstate 90 during the holidays.
<br />1/24/2002 Source Lake, Snoqualmie Pass 2 overnight campers caught while in tent, both self-rescued
<br />without major injuries
<br />1/27/2002 Gold Creek, Snoqualmie Pass 1 snowshoer caught, buried and rescued by own dog
<br />3/10/2002 Granite Mt., Snoqualmie Pass 2 skiers out; 1 caught and buried; rescued
<br />3/292003 Granite Mt. Snoqualmie Pass 1 skier caught, partly buried, seriously injured
<br />12/13/2003 Snoqualmie Pass One snowshoer caught, buried and killed. Victim found
<br />12/20/03
<br />1/12/2005 Alpental Ski Area, Snoqualmie
<br />Pass—Central WA Cascades
<br />Two skiers caught and buried/partially buried; one killed
<br />and one self-rescued
<br />12/2/2007 Source Lake, Snoqualmie Pass Three hikers caught, 1 partly buried, injured & self-rescued,
<br />2 completely buried and killed.
<br />4/9/2010 Kendall Peak near Snoqualmie
<br />Pass—Central WA Cascades
<br />Two skiers caught and partially buried, 1 slightly injured, 1
<br />critically injured
<br />2/1/2011 Red Mt, Central WA Cascades just
<br />north of Snoqualmie Pass
<br />Solo skier triggered cornice collapse and was caught, buried
<br />and killed by subsequent fall and loose avalanche
<br />4/6/2011 Phantom path on Mt Snoqualmie,
<br />Central WA Cascades just north of
<br />Snoqualmie Pass
<br />Party of five triggered 1.5- to 2-foot slab; slab caught and
<br />injured two seriously, one with minor injuries
<br />1/21/2012 Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass WA Three skiers caught and partially buried, all victims able to
<br />self-extricate with no injuries
<br />2/19/2012 Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass WA Two snowboarders caught, 1 fatality
<br />1/15/2013 Chair Peak, Snoqualmie Pass, WA Two climbers caught, one injured
<br />4/13/2013 Red Mt, near Snoqualmie Pass, WA Multiple snowshoers caught, 1 fatality
<br />4/13/2013 Granite Mt, Snoqualmie Pass, WA Three climbers caught, 1 fatality
<br />1/4/2014 Chair Peak, Snoqualmie Pass, WA Climber triggered and caught in avalanche, partial burial
<br />but able to self-rescue
<br />2/22/2014 Chair Peak, Snoqualmie Pass, WA Three skiers caught by a deep slab and partially buried, but
<br />able to self-rescue with no injuries
<br />3/22/2014 Granite Mt, Snoqualmie Pass, WA Two skiers in party, one skier triggered and caught in
<br />avalanche, one fatality
<br />4/27/2014 Slot Couloir, Snoqualmie Mt, near
<br />Snoqualmie Pass, WA
<br />Two skiers in party, one skier triggered and caught in
<br />avalanche, seriously injured
<br />12/17/2015 Alpental Valley, Snoqualmie Pass
<br />area, WA
<br />2 skiers caught, 1 fully buried and the other partially buried
<br />in two separate human triggered soft slab avalanches. Both
<br />were able to self-rescue and ski out.
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