FILE - A view of four central Oregon Cascade Mountain Range peaks, from left, Broken Top, South Sister, Middle Sister and North Sister, as seen from near Sisters, Ore., April 24, 2018.
Don Ryan / AP
Two people were killed in an avalanche in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, authorities said Tuesday.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that its search and rescue unit had recovered two bodies west of Bend in Happy Valley, near Broken Top peak. The sheriff’s office said the two people were caught in an avalanche while recreating in the area.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of the couple who lost their lives in the avalanche while enjoying the Central Oregon backcountry. Their long history in our community and the lives they touched are a testament to the spirit and resilience that make Central Oregon such a special place to live,” Sheriff Kent van der Kamp said in a statement.
“On behalf of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and our entire community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to their family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
According to a preliminary report from the Central Oregon Avalanche Center, the two backcountry skiers had been skiing when an avalanche happened Monday at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) on a south-facing slope. The avalanche ran 320 vertical feet into a tight clump of trees.“The trigger is unknown, but it is likely that the riders triggered the avalanche themselves,” read the report.
The names of the two people killed have not yet been released.
Earlier Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said it had responded overnight to reports of people possibly buried in an avalanche in the area.
Avalanche danger in the Central Cascades is currently “considerable,” a three on a scale of zero to five, according to the Avalanche Center forecast.
COAC urges people to check its website for the most up-to-date avalanche forecast for the Central Cascades Zone