Last Friday, an avalanche in the backcountry near Longs Pass in central Washington claimed the lives of two skiers, while two others were rescued. The Northwest Avalanche Center reported that the group, consisting of four tourers, were carried by the slide, resulting in the tragic fatalities. Kittitas County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass were the individuals who perished in the incident.
The two survivors managed to make a distress call using a Garmin satellite device, leading to a coordinated response from local authorities. According to KOMO News, responders had to navigate the remote and treacherous terrain using snowmobiles and winter backcountry equipment to reach the site and successfully transport the survivors to safety last Friday evening. Due to continuing hazardous conditions, recovery operations for the deceased were delayed until the following morning.
Rescue teams resumed their efforts last Saturday morning, bolstered by the arrival of three trained avalanche search K9s. Air support including King County’s Guardian 2 helicopter played a crucial role in extricating the deceased from the location. "Because of the rugged, remote terrain, air support was requested,” stated the Kittitas County Sheriff, as mentioned in a People.com report. The casualties were subsequently airlifted to a search base and placed in the care of the Kittitas County Coroner’s Office. Personal items and snowmobiles were also retrieved by officials.
Reacting to the calamity, the Northwest Avalanche Center expressed their condolences and acknowledged the impact on the community. "We are saddened to report that four backcountry tourers were caught and carried in an avalanche near Longs Pass in the upper Teanaway River drainage of the East Central zone," the agency stated on their Facebook page. Evidently, the avalanche center's representatives were also a crucial part of the on-scene assistance. A similar sentiment was echoed by the sheriff's office, extending sympathy to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, according to the statement obtained by People.com.
Authorities continue to advise caution for those venturing into avalanche-prone terrain and suggest thorough preparedness and the use of proper safety equipment.
