WALLOWA, Ore. — An avalanche forecaster died in an avalanche on Gunsight Mountain near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort in eastern Oregon on March 6, the Baker County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) and Northwest Avalanche Center (NAC) reported.
Anthony Lakes is about 35 miles northwest of Baker City and about 45 miles south of La Grande.
Nicholas Scott Burks, 37, of Wallowa, worked for the snow safety team at Mount Hood Meadows and as an avalanche forecaster for the Wallowa Avalanche Center, the NAC reported. "Nick has been an integral part of our professional avalanche community for years," the NAC said in a social media post.
The sheriff's office received a report of an avalanche at the mountain at about 4:38 p.m. on March 6. The first report that came in said two skiers were buried. Crews from multiple agencies responded and found people performing CPR on Burks.
According to the sheriff's office, Burks was skiing on Gunsight Mountain with a friend. Burks' friend went down the mountain first and was watching Burks ski down when the avalanche happened. "Both were experienced backcountry skiers and were equipped with avalanche air bags and beacons," the sheriff's office reported.
When Burks' friend saw the avalanche overtake Burks, he turned on his transceiver and was able to find Burks near a tree. Others saw the avalanche, notified first responders and started CPR on Burks. When rescue crews arrived, they assisted with the life-saving efforts but were unable to revive Burks.
Burks' friend was not injured.
The Baker County Sheriff's Office was assisted by Union County Search and Rescue, La Grande Fire Department, North Powder Rural Fire Protection District, Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, Life Flight and Baker County Search and Rescue.
This was the second skiing-related death in Oregon on March 6. Avid skier Robert Harrington, 58, was found dead in the West Bowl ski area of Mount Bachelor on Wednesday. The Deschutes County Medical Examiner said that Harrington had suffocated from being immersed in snow.