Avalanche
A backcountry snowboarder was killed by an avalanche due to a cornice fall on Mount St. Helens, Washington, reports the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC).
On Friday, March 29, 2024, the snowboarder summited the peak. While standing near the top, he triggered a cornice and fell into the crater, triggering a large slab avalanche on the slope below. NWAC is working with the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office and SAR to compile a report.
NWAC warned that large cornices still overhang many steep alpine slopes. They often fail much farther back than expected. During these warm, sunny periods, they can become weaker and easier to trigger.
The fatality is the 13th avalanche-related death in the US this winter season. There have also been eight in Canada.
