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Stevens Pass Avalanche Fatality

  • cjm720
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14 years 10 months ago #199252 by cjm720
Replied by cjm720 on topic Re: Stevens Pass Avalanche Fatality
Sad news.

I get a bit obsessed with accidents like this and am curious as to where Tunnel Creek is? Never been good with names and have toured out there a few times and am curious.

Access via the backside right, but is it skiers left up the ridge line or skiers right (closer to Tye) up and over back to the right (which takes you down to the hair pin west of the resort)?

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  • Big Steve
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14 years 10 months ago - 14 years 10 months ago #199253 by Big Steve
Replied by Big Steve on topic Re: Stevens Pass Avalanche Fatality
US 2 crosses Tunnel Creek at the hairpin a few miles W of Stevens Pass summit.   You've seen the big powerline swath.  A FS road leaves US2 at Tunnel Creek and forks.  One fork road leads to the TH to Hope and Mig Lake, popular day hiking destinations.  (I think the road to the TH and the trail actually go up a tributary of Tunnel Creek.)  The S side of Cowboy Mtn is a relatively popular ski, sometimes combined with a hitch hike back to the pass.  Skiers usually get to the top of Cowboy Mountain via a hike or skin from the top of the 7th Heaven lift.  The S side of Cowboy has some big open areas down low that sometimes get sun-baked.

RIP to the victim.  Sympathies to his family and friends.  Too young.  Very sad.

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  • garyabrill
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14 years 10 months ago #199254 by garyabrill
Replied by garyabrill on topic Re: Stevens Pass Avalanche Fatality
Although I've not met the young man, it turns out that he is the nephew of a climbing friend.

Condolences to family and friends.

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  • garyabrill
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14 years 10 months ago #199265 by garyabrill
Replied by garyabrill on topic Re: Stevens Pass Avalanche Fatality
For the record, I got this information from NWAC:

The slide ocurred at 4:30 pm @3800' on a SW aspect. The skier started a small sluff which either triggered a 12 to 16" soft slab or entrained that amount of snow.

I didn't ask, but just assumed that this would have been very wet spring mush based on what I found yesterday at Stevens.

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  • FairiesWearBoots
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14 years 10 months ago #199274 by FairiesWearBoots
Replied by FairiesWearBoots on topic Re: Stevens Pass Avalanche Fatality
Having shared BMX sessions with Riley for the last year at the Greenlake skatepark, this comes as quite the shock.
Only last week we were sharing stoke on our winter in the hills. RIP Riley
"Be careful out there because it's better to live, doing what you love."

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