1 dead, 5 rescued after avalanche near Crystal Mountain

A 66-year-old man was killed when he and his party of six seemingly triggered an avalanche in the Silver Basin area of the Crystal Mountain ski area.

It turned out that even though the snow seemed to have just started, the avalanche danger was high.

It was a three out of five, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center — conditions considered ripe for an avalanche. And that is what happened Saturday, with devastating consequences.

It is an especially sad sight in this place where people come to play in the snow. A Pierce County sheriff’s patrol car and a Pierce County Medical Examiner van were present in the area after an avalanche turned deadly.

“It’s sad,” said Crystal Mountain Resort CEO Frank DeBerry. “It’s very sad.”

DeBerry said they got the call at about 10:50 a.m. Saturday that an avalanche had buried six backcountry skiers.

“At the time of the original call, two of the members of the party were still trying to find the other four members of their party,” DeBerry said. “And over the next few minutes they were able to locate everybody.”

But then they dug out the sixth person, a 66-year-old man.

“Unfortunately, the sixth individual was encountered with a pulse but not breathing,” DeBerry said, “and was unable to be revived.”

The avalanche happened in the Silver Basin area of Crystal Mountain. The resort had closed an area nearby because of the danger of an avalanche. The group somehow had wandered into that area.

A Pierce County sheriff spokesman said the group was making its way up the mountain when the snow gave way. By the time ski patrol arrived, the skier was dead.

“And then ski patrol advised to get off of the hill to avoid another avalanche,” said Sgt. Darren Moss Jr., “what they call a hang fire.”

It is a calamitous start to what is a long-hoped-for ski season.

“And it’s just been one snowstorm,” DeBerry said. “But one snowstorm can put out enough snow, and in the wrong conditions that snow can be fairly dangerous.”

That proved to be the bitter truth.

One very important thing the group had in their favor was that all six of them were wearing avalanche beacons. Rescuers were therefore able to locate the group very quickly. Sadly, they could not save everyone.