2012/02/19 - Washington - Tunnel Creek, near Stevens Pass

Published 2012/12/31 by Morrison, Owens, and Moore - Stevens Pass Ski Patrol, NWAC

Back country avalanche information and forecasts for the time of the incident from the NWAC are [in accompanying report]. This also gives a summary of related avalanche and snowpack conditions. The snowpack information contained in the analysis late Saturday morning (day prior to the incident)indicated the dangerous snowpack conditions observed at that time along with the potential for larger slides: ” …at Stevens Pass where slab depths are ranging up to 8-12 inches and some slides are stepping down to facets or surface hoar above an early February crust. Also, increasing winds through the passes are just beginning to make surface snow more cohesive and able to propagate fractures over longer distances”. And in the forecast for Sunday, the forecast stressed that: “…cold temperatures should slow stabilization of existing wind slabs and help maintain the threat of further human triggered avalanche activity, especially on previously wind loaded terrain showing no evidence of recent avalanche activity”

Just before noon a group of 15 skiers made the short hike to the top of Cowboy Mountain from the 7th Heaven Chair, exited the Stevens Pass Mountain Resort, and entered the back country. The group consisted of locals and visiting skiers, all experienced backcountry skiers equipped with avalanche rescue gear. Skiing one at a time, the first six skiers negotiated the top meadow of the popular Tunnel Creek area to then wait in various locations in the trees on the skiers left…just prior to traversing to another meadow. At around noon, the seventh skier entered the meadow and on his third turn triggered the 2-3 ft slab avalanche that would catch him and three of the six who were waiting below (although one other skier was also caught, he was able to arrest by grabbing a nearby tree). The avalanche funneled the four skiers into the very dangerous creek drainage/gulley beneath them and the valley floor runout some 2400 vertical feet below (see Figures 4-7 below showing route of avalanche). Owing to many objective dangers including exposed rock outcrops, trees and other obstacles, the skiers had not intended to ski the very steep and winding gulley into which the avalanche descended…planning instead to traverse skiers left into a series of meadows before hitting the more open terrain near the power lines.

Several of the remaining skiers initiated beacon searches from the top of the slide path and made their way to the debris pile in the valley. The only survivor had deployed an airbag device at the top of the path and was found partially buried yet uninjured. When this victim came to rest, only her hands were above the snow and she was able to uncover her face. Although unable to self-extricate she was dug out by other party members in about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the three deceased skiers were found with beacon searches and visual clues. All three were dug out and CPR was initiated on them by other members of the party. At 1215, the Stevens Pass Ski Patrol received 911 calls of multiple avalanche burials in Tunnel Creek, at which time they closed access to this area and sent an initial response team to the top of Cowboy Mountain. At 1243 a team of three patrollers descended the slide path with an AED while two patrollers and a rescue dog were dispatched to the bottom of the slide to aid in the search. All efforts to resuscitate the three victims were unsuccessful, with trauma the likely cause of death. All members of the party were accounted for and transported to the highway and back to Stevens Pass.

This accident received considerable attention. In the fall of 2012, two long articles were published in the New York Times and Outside Magazine.