The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek: Disaster on the Mountain

The fresh powder beckoned 16 expert skiers and snowboarders into the backcountry. Without warning, a slab of snow cracked and swept violently down the mountain. No one knew how many were inside.

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• Category

  News & Politics

[DjBall]

The multimedia piece by the Times was well done.

Thank you for this.

[aj dub]

we all take the risk."extreme sports people" had nothing to do with it. educated guessing as a professional can and will surprise you, even with a life time of experience mother nature will have her way. wrong place wrong time. you gotta weight the risk.. today you die doing what you love. just saying it could be worse.. rip lost shredders.

[Samuel Milton]

One Year anniversary!!!! We MISS YOU ALL!!!!

[Samuel Milton]

I was at Stevens 5 days after the avalanche and it was weird without Chris on the mountain!!!! RIP to all that died that day!!!! I'm going to Stevens & Mt. Baker this weekend!!!!

[gregoryalund]

Tillallareoneluv POS like you are entertaining.

[tillallareoneluv]

Couldn't resist that 'fresh deep powder'. Oh well, your ski bretheren are still dead. and 8:00 he takes out his travel beacon. Knock em dead snowbunny.

[bdb3011]

After 16 years in the ski industry, I've actually come to a place in my life where I don't blame ignorant people like tillallareoneluv for their interesting comments. This person can't help that they have no idea what they're talking about.

"locator beacons"... really...?

[Samuel Milton]

VERY SAD!!!!

[Samuel Milton]

I live in Denver and I snowboard in the backcountry all the time and I've seen avalanche's before!!!!

[ryanpiuma]

I just read the full article. Incredible journalism, sad story.

Thanks for the work that went into this. Anyone considering backcountry skiing should read the full article.

[misterfunnybones]

7:49 he takes the beacon/transceiver out of his pack. Safe backcountry travel demands that you wear the beacon/transceiver over base layers tight against you. Your pack will be ripped off in an avalanche and your search team will find your pack. A sobering article from John Branch & the NYT multimedia team.