Police Helicopter Rescue of Snowmobiler After Avalanche

On March 23, 2018 at 11:45 am search and rescue forces were notified that four snowmobilers had been caught in an avalanche one-half mile south of Longs Pass in Kittitas County, Okagonan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington. One was partially buried not critical, one was partially buried critical, and two were completely buried and deceased. [Note: “critical” in this context refers to the head being buried under snow.]

All party members had avalanche transceivers, shovels, and airbag packs. Probes were carried by three of the four members. One rider sustained minor injuries. The more seriously injured (but alive) rider, seen in this video, would ultimately be found to have sustained a head injury with disrupted vision in his right eye, an unclassified right shoulder injury, injury to his left knee (MCL and ACL), and multiple complex fractures to his lower left leg. He had been buried face-up, head uphill, with his legs slightly down and to the left. His left arm was free and snow nearly covered his head. The other surviving party had been buried up to his waist and self-extricated, from there providing immediate life-saving assistance to the pictured party and getting notification of emergency services in motion. (Due to their location, direct communication was not possible. complex task which required radio relays.

One of the victims, James Larson, 41, was a 14-year veteran of the Bonny Lake police department. The other fatality was Zach Roundtree, 27, an Air Force veteran also of Bonny Lake.

Nearly all of the known information on this accident can be found in the associated Northwest Avalanche Center incident report, available in a public post on Patreon.

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