Avalanche forecaster skiing Oregon slope killed in avalanche, cops say. ‘Heartbroken’
An avalanche forecaster died after triggering an avalanche while skiing with a friend, Oregon officials say.
The pair, “experienced backcountry skiers” who had “avalanche airbags and beacons,” were skiing near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort on March 6, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
After coming down a Gunsight Mountain slope, one of the skiers waited at the bottom, watching as his friend, later identified as Nick Scott Burks, 37, skied down, deputies said.
Then, ”an avalanche was triggered and overtook Burks,” deputies said.
Using his transceiver, deputies said, the other skier, who was not hurt, found Burks near a tree.
Meanwhile, a group of lodgers who saw the avalanche called 911 and rushed to help, according to deputies.
When deputies arrived, the bystanders were performing CPR on Burks, who died from his injuries, deputies said.
In a March 7 Facebook post, Northwest Avalanche Center said it was “heartbroken” by Burks’ death.
“Nick has been an integral part of our professional avalanche community for years,” the nonprofit wrote.
Burks first worked as a ski patrol on Mt. Hood Meadows before becoming a forecaster and educator with Wallowa Avalanche Center, according to a March 10 Facebook post from the Wallowa nonprofit.
“A man of few words, (but always important ones) the local community accepted Nick as a member of the community,” the nonprofit wrote. “He touched so many lives and gained so many new friends in just a couple of years.”
Avalanche forecasters gather information, do fieldwork and conduct tests to “determine snow stability,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
Gunsight Mountain is in northeast Oregon, about 265 miles northeast of Bend.
What to know about avalanches
Avalanches happen quickly and catch people by surprise. They can move between 60 and 80 mph and typically happen on slopes of 30-45 degrees, according to experts.
Skiers, snowmobilers and hikers can set off an avalanche when a layer of snow collapses and starts to slide down the slope.
In the U.S., avalanches are most common from December to April, but they can happen at any time if the conditions are right, National Geographic reported.
At least 11 people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of March 11, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
People heading into snow should always check the local avalanche forecast at Avalanche.org, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, and have an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel ready.
“Emergency services are usually too far away from the scene of an avalanche, and time is important,” Simon Trautman, a national avalanche specialist, said. “A person trapped under the snow may not have more than 20 or 30 minutes. So, in a backcountry scenario, you are your own rescue party.”
If an avalanche breaks out, it’s best to move diagonal to the avalanche to an edge, Trautman said.
“Try to orient your feet downhill so that your lower body, not your head, takes most of the impact,” officials said. “You may also get into a tight ball as another way to protect your head.”
This story was originally published March 11, 2024 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Avalanche forecaster skiing Oregon slope killed in avalanche, cops say. ‘Heartbroken’."
