East Wenatchee Man Dies in Avalanche

A fatal avalanche has been reported in Harts Pass in rural Okanogan County, resulting in the death of 40-year-old Andrew Kennedy.

Kennedy was an East Wenatchee resident. His identity was confirmed by Okanogan County Coroner Dave Rodriguez.

The incident involved a trio of snowmobilers on Friday who unwittingly triggered what's known as a slab avalanche, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC).

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"Two riders were caught and carried," reports the Avalanche Center on Facebook. "One rider was fully buried and killed."

According to Safeback, a developer of avalanche safety gear,

Slab avalanches are triggered when a layer of snow bonds into a stable, continuous layer on top of a weaker layer. If the weak layer collapses due to external forces such as wind loading, or the force of a skier, then the released slab will slide on the surface of the snow below the weak layer, picking up snow and debris with it.

 

At the time of the incident, danger was assessed as "moderate," though the Avalanche Center noted that snow conditions were "complex" and urged caution.

The following day's forecast indicated "considerable" avalanche danger at elevations of 6,500 feet and above.