2 dead after avalanche buries skiers in Oregon mountains

How a skier became the sole survivor of a deadly California avalanche

A producer of the documentary "Buried" shares his experience telling the stories of the deadly 1982 avalanche in Alpine Meadows, California.

BEND, Ore. – Authorities in Central Oregon announced Tuesday the discovery of two missing skiers believed to have been buried by an avalanche in the Cascade Mountains.

According to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, deputies received a report Monday that backcountry skiers were overdue at their destination and were possibly in the area known as Happy Valley.

After an extensive search, first responders said they found the pair after determining that the avalanche occurred at an elevation of around 6,700 feet on a south-facing slope.

Officials warned the public of the heightened avalanche dangers and urged outdoor enthusiasts to exercise caution.

North America, USA, Central Oregon, Oregon, Deschutes County, Crane Prairie Reservoir with reflections of Mount Bachelor and Broken Top.

(Photo by: Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

AVALANCHE BURIES 2 SKI PATROLLERS ON CALIFORNIA’S SIERRA NEVADA

The Central Oregon Avalanche Center highlighted mountains throughout the central part of the Beaver State as being at a "considerable" risk of avalanches or at a Level 3 out of 5 on its danger scale.

"On Tuesday, avalanches remain likely on slopes where the wind has blown the latest storm snow. This is most often on North, East, and South slopes near treeline and at alpine elevations. These avalanches could be large enough to bury or injure a rider. On sheltered slopes below treeline, the majority of avalanches will be very small, although I can't rule out the possibility of a large avalanche on the steepest, most unsupported slopes," the center stated.

While the exact cause of the deadly avalanche in the Happy Valley area was not immediately released, local officials said it was possible that the event could have been triggered by the skiers themselves.

"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. 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," Sheriff Kent van der Kamp said in a statement.

National Avalanche Center 2/18/2025 danger map.

(National Avalanche Center / FOX Weather)

MASSIVE 40-FOOT AVALANCHE BURIES IDAHO HIGHWAY

The deaths marked the sixth and seventh fatalities related to avalanches in the U.S. since the start of the year, according to statistics from the National Avalanche Center.

Most incidents have involved backcountry tours, where people participate in winter sports outside of maintained resorts.

Less than a week ago, two ski patrollers were caught in an avalanche after heavy snowfall from an atmospheric river triggered a slide on Lincoln Mountain in California’s Sierra Nevada.

At the time, staff members were reported to be working to clear the mountainside of dangers posed by potential slides.

Experts say avalanches can occur at any time of the year but are most common during and just after snowstorms when the snowpack is most unstable.

The National Avalanche Center states that, on average, 27 people die each winter from avalanches in the United States, with most occurring in Colorado and Alaska.