YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. — An avalanche that killed a snowmobiler March 1 near Darland Mountain on the eastern slopes of the south Cascades likely occurred due to older, weaker layers in the snowpack, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center.
Two snowmobilers triggered a slide in an east-facing bowl at approximately 6,600 feet elevation, according to the Avalanche Center. One of the riders was fully buried and died.
The avalanche is not unique to that area of the Cascades, as other areas are also dealing with the same issue, according to the Avalanche Center.
Avalanche danger is generally moderate to considerable throughout the eastern slopes of the Cascades, with higher elevations seeing the more considerable dangers, according to the most recent data from the Avalanche Center. The western slopes of the Cascades are seeing more moderate avalanche danger at lower and middle elevations, with considerable danger at upper elevations.
Avalanche danger at Stevens Pass and Snoqualmie Pass is low at lower elevations and moderate at higher elevations.
As of Sunday, March 3, the snowpack structure on the east slopes of the south Cascades was still poor, according to the Avalanche Center.
"You could still trigger avalanches on deeply buried weak layers," an expert wrote Sunday. "These slides are likely to break widely across terrain, and they can be triggered from a distance and catch you off guard. Avoid trailing on or directly under steep, open terrain."
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