Current:Home > FinanceOregon avalanche forecaster dies in snowslide he triggered while skiing-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Oregon avalanche forecaster dies in snowslide he triggered while skiing
View Date:2024-12-23 23:28:08
NORTH POWDER, Ore. (AP) — An avalanche forecaster died in a snowslide he triggered while skiing in eastern Oregon last week, officials said.
Nick Burks, 37, and a friend — both experienced and carrying avalanche air bags and beacons — were backcountry skiing the chute on Gunsight Mountain on Wednesday, near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort.
His friend skied down first and watched as the avalanche was triggered and overtook Burks. The companion was able to locate Burks quickly by turning on his transceiver, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office said.
People at the ski lodge saw the avalanche happen and immediately told first responders, the agency said in a statement on Facebook.
Bystanders were performing CPR on Burks as deputies, firefighters, and search and rescue crews arrived, but the efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, the sheriff’s office said. The other skier wasn’t hurt.
The Northwest Avalanche Center said via Facebook that Nick had been part of their professional avalanche community for years. He worked as an avalanche forecaster for the Wallowa Avalanche Center in northeastern Oregon, and before that as part of the snow safety team at Mt. Hood Meadows Ski and Summer Resort southeast of Portland.
Avalanche forecasters evaluate mountain snow conditions and other weather factors to try to predict avalanche risks. The job, avalanche safety specialists say, has become more difficult in as climate change brings extreme weather, and growing numbers of skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers visit backcountry areas since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our backcountry community is small and we understand the tremendous grief many are experiencing,” the Wallowa Avalanche Center said in a statement on their website, adding that a full investigation would be done with a report to follow.
Eleven people have been killed in avalanches in the U.S. this year, according to Avalanche.org.
veryGood! (11781)
Related
- CRYPTIFII Introduce
- Biden weighs invoking executive authority to stage border crackdown ahead of 2024 election
- Bad Bunny setlist: Here are all the songs at his Most Wanted Tour
- James Crumbley, father of Michigan school shooter, fights to keep son's diary, texts out of trial
- Sydney Sweeney Slams Women Empowerment in the Industry as Being Fake
- Federal judge says MyPillow's Mike Lindell must pay $5M in election data dispute
- AT&T cellphone service out for tens of thousands across the country
- Death of Nex Benedict did not result from trauma, police say; many questions remain
- Hurricane-stricken Tampa Bay Rays to play 2025 season at Yankees’ spring training field in Tampa
- New Hampshire man convicted of killing daughter, 5, whose body has not been found
Ranking
- Does the NFL have a special teams bias when hiring head coaches? History indicates it does
- Pandas to return to San Diego Zoo, China to send animals in move of panda diplomacy
- Machine Gun Kelly Shares Heartbreaking Message on Megan Fox’s Miscarriage
- Jimmy Carter becomes first living ex-president with official White House Christmas ornament
- Singles' Day vs. Black Friday: Which Has the Best Deals for Smart Shoppers?
- Motocross star Jayden 'Jayo' Archer, the first to land triple backflip, dies practicing trick
- Lawyers for Malcolm X family say new statements implicate NYPD, feds in assassination
- Ex-Alabama police officer to be released from prison after plea deal
Recommendation
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, 4G
-
Federal judge affirms MyPillow’s Mike Lindell must pay $5M in election data dispute
-
Georgia lawmakers weigh a 3-year pause on expansion permits for planned Okefenokee mine
-
A Colorado man died after a Gila monster bite. Opinions and laws on keeping the lizard as a pet vary
-
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery
-
IRS says it has a new focus for its audits: Private jet use
-
James Biden, Joe Biden's brother, tells lawmakers the president had no involvement in family's business dealings
-
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Enjoy Gorgeous Day Date at Australian Zoo