Two men died at Mt. Hood Meadows over the past few days in separate snowboarding accidents.
The Hood River Sheriff's Office identified the victims as Tim Bauters, 47, of Sunnyvale, California and Ryan Zeitner, 45, of Portland.
Both men died in the Heather Canyon region of the mountain. The ski resort's website says the area features "steep pitches of powder" in double black diamond terrain, a gated area considered to be for advanced athletes.
According to the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, family members reported Bauters missing on Monday after he did not return home from an extended work trip. Authorities said Bauters’ last known communication placed him at Mount Hood Meadows on Friday, Feb. 14th.
Officials believe he was snowboarding alone, reportedly was in good shape, and had gone to Meadows multiple times while on his work trip. Meadows security found his rental vehicle still on site, and a record of Bauters’ lift scans narrowed down his last known location.
A HRCSO Search & Rescue aircraft and Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Patrol conducted a search of the area, and Bauters was found dead Monday at 6:15 p.m.
On Sunday, Ryan Zeitner of Portland was pronounced dead at the scene by responding paramedics.
No further information is available for either accident.
