Sixth Cascade Mountain Death Raises Awareness of Avalanche Safety
The body of 22 year old Kirk Reiser was found on Friday after a week of searching, raising the number of avalanche related deaths this season to six. Reiser was hiking with a friend outside of Paradise, Washington toward Camp Muir when bad weather forced them to turn back about halfway to their destination. On the return back, Reiser set off an avalanche that swept him down the mountain where he disappeared.
Reiser along with the other five outdoorsmen and women who have died this season (read blog “Washington Avalanche Kills Two Hikers, One Injured“) in the northwest were all considered experienced outdoors people who were well-prepared for hiking in the area. They had the right equipment and took the right survival precautions before they left (read blog “Lost Arizona Hikers Prompt Sheriff to Send Reminder About Hiking Safety” for more on this). Experts are saying that what the deceased lacked was the ability to recognize dangerous conditions and stay away from them.
“All the people who have been caught this year have gone out when the forecast hazard was high or extreme,” said Paul Baugher, director of the Northwest Avalanche Institute. “They have not interpreted the weather correctly or decided they could beat it.”
Baugher recommends that avalanche-preparedness courses could have saved these individuals’ lives. Those without training should stay within the confines of the ski areas. “There’s no substitute for the training,” said Baugher.
Avalanche training courses are available through the International Mountain Guides near Mount Rainier and The Mountaineers near Seattle. Courses like these will teach winter hiking and climbing enthusiasts how to evaluate avalanche hazards and how to travel in avalanche terrain safely.
Read more at the Seattle Times site.
Photograph by Richard Armstrong, National Snow and Ice Data Center.
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