Two people have died after an avalanche swept through a backcountry area in central Washington.
Around 4:00 p.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 9, four men were snowmobiling in the backcountry when they were caught in an avalanche near Longs Pass in the mountains of northern Kittitas County, according to a statement from the Kittitas County Sheriff posted on Facebook.
Two men — Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass — were killed. Two others, Ian Laing and Patrick Leslie, survived after making a distress call using a Garmin satellite device.
“Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Kittitas County Search & Rescue (KCSR) volunteers responded,” the sheriff’s office said. “Responders reached the remote area using snowmobiles and winter backcountry equipment and transported the two survivors out that evening.”
Officials said a nighttime recovery operation was not attempted because conditions remained dangerous.
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Search and recovery efforts resumed Saturday morning with the help of three trained avalanche search K9s. Because of the rugged, remote terrain, authorities requested air support.
“King County’s Guardian 2 helicopter assisted by airlifting the two deceased men to a search base, where they were placed in the care of the Kittitas County Coroner’s Office,” the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities also recovered the men’s personal items, including two snowmobiles. Representatives from the Northwest Avalanche Center assisted at the scene.
“The Sheriff’s Office and KCSR extend condolences to the families and friends of those lost,” the sheriff’s office concluded.
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The Northwest Avalanche Center later released its own statement on Facebook addressing the incident.
“We are saddened to report that four backcountry tourers were caught and carried in an avalanche near Longs Pass in the upper Teanaway River drainage of the East Central zone,” the agency wrote. “One tourer was not buried, one was partially buried and injured, one was fully buried and killed, and one was fully buried and is presumed dead.”
The agency added, “Our hearts go out to the family, friends, and community of those involved in this accident.”
The Kittitas County Sheriff did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
