Avalanches claim 3 lives in Oregon and California

Three backcountry skiers were killed in avalanches in the Cascade Mountains, Oregon, and Powderhouse Peak, California, on February 17, 2025.

The avalanche in the Cascade Mountains claimed the lives of two backcountry skiers. Their bodies were recovered west of Bend, in Happy Valley near Broken Top Peak, by a search-and-rescue team from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

The Central Oregon Avalanche Center (COAC) reported that the two skiers were on a south-facing slope at 2 042 m (6 700 feet) when they were buried by a D2 avalanche.

The COAC stated that the avalanche’s crown height averaged 45 cm, running 98 m (320 feet) vertically into a dense cluster of trees. The trigger remains unknown, but it is likely that the skiers caused the avalanche themselves.

Another backcountry skier was found dead in an avalanche field near Luther Pass. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office reported receiving a call late Monday afternoon about a missing backcountry skier near Powderhouse Peak.

A short time later, friends of the missing skier located the body in an avalanche area, according to the sheriff’s office. However, snowy weather delayed recovery efforts until Tuesday.

The recovery operation began on Tuesday at approximately 06:00 local time (LT). Crews used controlled explosives to mitigate avalanche risks before recovering the skier’s body by helicopter at around 17:00 LT.

References:

¹ Preliminary Avalanche Accident Report – COAC – February 18, 2025

² Backcountry skier found dead after avalanche near South Lake Tahoe – CBS – February 19, 2025