Avalanche — Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties, Washington

2021-12-11 · Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties, Washington

Event narrative

Shortly before 11AM PST on December 11, Pierce County Sheriff noted an avalanche fatality in the Silver Basin Backcountry Ski Area on Crystal Mountain in the Southern Cascades. A total of 6 skiers were caught in the avalanche, all carrying beacons, but one person was unable to survive. High Avalanche Danger was forecast by the Northwest Avalanche Center.

Wider weather episode

A strong storm/frontal system moved across Western Washington Dec 10-11, bringing with it heavy mountain snow and high winds. In the wake of the frontal system, an upper level trough moved into the region, keeping for unstable and unsettled weather across the area through the 13th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 998613. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.