As I mentioned at our meeting tonight, Washington has lost a fellow sledder to an avalanche, the story was lost in the news because the Canadian avalanche that claimed 8 sledders dominated it. We will our donate 50/50 money to Josh's memorial fund.
Here are the details of Josh's accident up at Harts Pass - Please everybody - Ride Smart and Ride Safe!
Posted December 29, 2008
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081229/NEWS04/712299927/1001
MAZAMA — A Colville man was killed in an avalanche while snowmobiling in the Harts Pass area outside of Mazama on Sunday, authorities said.
Joshua S. Peters, 24, was riding with three other people in Brown Bear Basin shortly before 4 p.m. when he was caught in the avalanche and buried by snow, said Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers.
"He was riding with some friends, and they had everything with them — beacons, poles. But something happened and he got caught in the avalanche," he said. "These guys were all well-experienced, but it's a pretty rough area."
Rogers said the three other riders were able to locate Peters, who was wearing a beacon, and dig him out in about 15 minutes.
Peters was not breathing and CPR was administered, but he did not revive, Rogers said.
About 16 volunteers from the Aero Methow Rescue Service and the Okanogan County Sheriff's search and rescue team responded to the scene, Rogers said, but Peters had been located by the time they arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Matt Fugazzi, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Spokane, said avalanche danger today is considerable below 5,000 feet, and the danger is increasing today and tonight above 5,000 feet.
He said there are no avalanche warnings along the east slopes of the North Cascades. The U.S. Forest Service issues those warnings, he said.
John Newcom, district ranger for the Methow Valley Ranger District, said there may not be a lot of snow, but conditions are classic for avalanches.
"You have a bunch of new fluffy snow on top of the old stuff," he said.
It's the smaller snowfalls that often catch people off guard, he added. "Almost exclusively, it's the little ones that get you."