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2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan
<br />Kittitas County, Washington ffil#l
<br />April 1 1, 2017
<br />The body of a male skier was recovered on the southwest side of Red Mountain,
<br />Commonwealth Basin by local search and rescue team. The skier was traveling alone
<br />with skis on a pack when caught by an avalanche. The skier was recovered on a treed
<br />slope and died of blunt force trauma.
<br />A skier in a group of three (3) triggered a slab avalanche near the summit of Avalanche
<br />Mountain (Snow Lake area) on a 38 to 40 degree west facing aspect near 5,200 feet.
<br />The first skier made a few turns and was able to move out of the way. The second skier
<br />was carried approximately 300 vertical feet down slope until he hit a tree, breaking his
<br />femur.
<br />March 4,2017
<br />March 4,2017
<br />Two (2) snowmobilers were caught and carried in an avalanche in a southeast facing
<br />bowl on Hawkins Mountain, Central Gascades afterone (1) of the snowmobilers high-
<br />marked near the top of the bowl and triggered the avalanche. A separate group of two
<br />(2) snowmobilers resting in the run further below were able to escape on foot but their
<br />sleds were caught and buried. The two (2) snowmobilers that were caught, one (1) was
<br />partially buried with only his hand sticking out (enabling rescue) and the other was
<br />completely buried and killed.
<br />December 31,2015 A snowshoer was caught by a small wind slab avalanche in Granite Mountain,
<br />Snoqualmie Pass. The snowshoer was carried into the trees and died of trauma injuries.
<br />There was one (1) probable avalanche fatality. The terrain in which the victim was found,
<br />body position, information from the coroner's report, and documented human and natural
<br />avalanches in the immediate and surrounding terrain all support the likelihood of an
<br />avalanche fatalitv in AlpentalVallev, Commonwealth Basin (Snoqualmie Pass area).
<br />December 19,2015
<br />December 17,2015
<br />Two (2) skiers were caught in two (2) separate human triggered soft slab avalanches in
<br />Alpental Valley, Snoqualmie Pass area. One (1) skier was fully buried, and the other
<br />was parliallv buried, and both were able to self-rescue.
<br />April27,2014 Two (2) skiers triggered and were caught in an avalanche in Slot Couloir, Snoqualmie
<br />Mountain. One (1) skier was seriouslv iniured.
<br />March 22,2014 Two (2) skiers triggered and were caught in an avalanche in Granite Mountain, near
<br />Snoqualmie Pass. One (1) skier was killed.
<br />February 22,2014 Three (3) skiers were caught by a deep slab avalanche in Chair Peak, near Snoqualmie
<br />Pass. All skiers were partiallv buried and able to self-rescue with no iniuries.
<br />January 4,2014 A climber triggered and was caught in an avalanche in Chair Peak, near Snoqualmie
<br />Pass. The climber was partially buried and was able to self-rescue.
<br />April 13, 2013 Three (3) climbers were caught in an avalanche in Granite Mountain, near Snoqualmie
<br />Pass. One (1) climber was killed..
<br />April 13,2013 Multiple snowshoers were caught in an avalanche in Red Mountain, near Snoqualmie
<br />Pass. One (1) snowshoer was killed.
<br />January 15,2013 Two (2) climbers caught in an avalanche in Chair Peak, Snoqualmie Pass. One (1
<br />climber was iniured.
<br />Two (2) snowboarders were caught in an avalanche in Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass. One
<br />(1) snowboarder was killed.February 19,2012
<br />January 21, 2012 Three (3) skiers were caught and partially buried in an avalanche in Alpental,
<br />Snoqualmie Pass. Allvictims were able to self-rescue with no injuries.
<br />A group of five (5) skiers triggered a soft slab avalanche in Mount Snoqualmie. Three
<br />(3)were caught in the avalanche, and two (2) were seriously injured and one (1) had
<br />minor iniuries.
<br />April 6, 201'1
<br />April9, 2010 Two (2)skiers were caught and partially buried in Kendall Peak, Snoqualmie Pass. One
<br />(1) was sliqhtly iniured while the other was pritically iniured.
<br />December 2,2007
<br />Three (3) hikers caught were caught in an avalanche in Snow/Source Lake Trail,
<br />Snoqualmie Pass. One (1) hikerwas partially buried, injured, and self-rescued. Two (2)
<br />hikers were completely buried and killed.
<br />Two (2) skiers were caught in an avalanche in Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass. One (1) skier
<br />was partiallv buried and was able to self-recue. One (1) was completelv buried and killed.January 12,2005
<br />DescriptionDate
<br />Chapter 4: Hazard ldentification and Risk Assessment 75
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