NEW YORK – Three mountaineers, a 60-year-old woman from New York, a 53-year-old man from Connecticut and a 66-year-old man from New Jersey, died in an avalanche that carried them 500 feet from a mountain in Washington status this week, authorities announced.
The victims, whose identities have not been released, were part of a group of six who traveled to Colchuck Peak on Sunday, according to a 53-year-old man from Maryland who stayed with them at base camp this that day.
The group set out to climb Colchuck Peak, which is located at the southern end of Lake Colchuck, about 8 miles south of Leavenworth, Washington. The lead climber caused an avalanche as he attempted to scale the northeast portion of the mountain, and all but two were blown away by the snow cannon.
The three climbers who died succumbed to trauma sustained in the fall, authorities said. The fourth climber descended the mountain, a 56-year-old New York man, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was able to return to base camp with the other two survivors: a 50-year-old New York man . and a 36-year-old man from New Jersey.
They called for help when they returned.
Nearly two dozen rescuers responded to the trailhead to help with the recovery effort, but when they arrived on Monday afternoon, avalanche conditions made the mountain too dangerous to attempt to reach climbers dead. Survivors were driven back to the trailhead.
The scene was still too dangerous to send rescuers on Tuesday. Efforts are underway to develop a safe recovery plan.