Separate avalanches in Washington, Idaho leave 2 snowmobilers dead

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Separate avalanches in Washington and Idaho have left two people dead, authorities said.

According to the Northwest Avalanche Center, two snowmobilers were riding Friday on Darland Mountain, in the Cascade Mountain Range west of Yakima, Washington, when an avalanche was triggered at around 6,600 feet. One rider was fully buried and did not survive. The rider’s name was not released.

“One of the riders was fully buried and did not survive. Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends, and community affected by this tragic event,” the Northwest Avalanche Center said. “While we don’t know for sure, this avalanche likely failed on older persistent weak layers in the snowpack.”

In Idaho, another group of snowmobilers was caught in an avalanche around 1:30 p.m. local time in the southern Selkirk mountains, near the Pack River drainage, in Boundary County, Idaho, leaving one of them dead. Boundary County later identified the deceased snowmobiler as Lance J. Gidley, 54, of Sandpoint, Idaho.

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Separate avalanches in Washington and Idaho have left two people dead, authorities said. (Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The Boundary County Sheriff’s office and Boundary County Search and Rescue said three people were rescued during their rescue operations on Friday.

Their efforts were delayed until Saturday due to “high avalanche danger and strong winter weather.”

They concluded their efforts, and searchers went out again on Saturday, when they ultimately recovered Gidley’s body.

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According to a news release from Boundary County Emergency Management, witnesses described narrowly surviving the sudden and harrowing avalanche.

Law enforcement is urging the public to stay out of the Fault Lake trail area. (iStock)

A friend riding with the snowmobiler in Idaho said he was “barely able to outrun the avalanche on his snowmobile,” according to the news release.

That same snowmobiler went back to search for his friend, who was wearing an avalanche beacon, and ultimately found him dead underneath the snow.

Law enforcement is urging the public to stay out of the Fault Lake trail area.

According to Avalanche.org, 10 people have been killed in avalanches in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming so far this year. (Camerique/Getty Images)

The U.S. Forest Service Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center is investigating the death.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends affected by this tragedy,” the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said.

According to Avalanche.org, 10 people have been killed in avalanches across the U.S. in just the first three months of the year. These included five skiers, one snowboarder, three snowmobilers and one other undisclosed fatality.

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These fatalities have taken place in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming.

There were 30 fatalities in the U.S. during the 2022-2023 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.