Avalanche kills 2 backcountry skiers in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, authorities say
Bend, Oregon — An avalanche in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains has killed two backcountry skiers, authorities said Tuesday.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that its search-and-rescue unit recovered two bodies west of Bend in Happy Valley, near Broken Top Peak.
The couple had been skiing when an avalanche occurred Monday at 6,700 feet on a south-facing slope, the Central Oregon Avalanche Center said in a social media post.
Central Oregon Daily News via AP
“We extend our deepest condolences to all who loved the couple who tragically lost their lives while doing what they loved,” the post said. “As longtime residents of Central Oregon, they have touched many lives, and their legacy will continue to live on in our community.”
In a separate report, the Avalanche Center said, “It is likely that the riders triggered the avalanche themselves.”
The names of the two people killed haven’t been released.
Earlier Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said it had responded overnight to reports of people possibly buried in an avalanche in the area.
Avalanche danger in the Central Cascades is currently “considerable,” a 3 on a scale of 0 to 5, according to the Avalanche Center forecast.
