A 37-year-old snow avalanche forecaster has died after being overtaken by a snow slip while backpack skiing in Oregon. Nicholas Burks and his friend, William Sloop were skiing on Gunsight Mountain, near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort on March 6 when the accident occurred.
According to investigation by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Sloop skied down the chute on the Mountain first and was watching Burks make his way. But as he took off, an avalanche was triggered and snow overtook the experienced backcountry skier as he was coming down the slope.
A group of individuals at the lodge nearby saw the avalanche and immediately notified first responders while quickly making their way to scene. While they attempted to perform CPR on the forecaster, Burks ultimately succumbed to his injuries and died the scene.
Deputies from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Baker County Search and Rescue, Union County Search and Rescue, La Grande Fire Department, North Powder Rural Fire Protection District and Life Flight responded to the scene. Sloop did no sustain any injuries and remained unharmed after avalanche occurred.
The Northwest Avalanche Center posted a tribute to Burks on Facebook, calling him ‘an integral part of our professional avalanche community’. ‘NWAC is heartbroken to report the death of our friend and colleague, Nick Burks. On Wednesday, March 6th, Nick and a friend were backcountry skiing on Gunsight Mountain near Anthony Lakes, Oregon, when he triggered an avalanche.
‘Nick has been an integral part of our professional avalanche community for years. ‘Nick worked as a part of the snow safety team at Mt Hood Meadows ski area, and more recently, as an avalanche forecaster for the Wallowa Avalanche Center (WAC) in northeastern Oregon. ‘We offer our deepest sympathies to our friends at WAC, and stand with everyone touched by this devastating event.’
The Wallowa Avalanche Center also said in a separate announcement that a full investigation and report will be released in a few days. The Gunsight Mountain lies in the northern Elkhorn Mountains of Oregon and is one of the more easily accessible peaks in this range.
The Mountain has two summits, the eastern one being the highest at 8342 feet. The peak lies directly above Anthony Lake and has a steep granite ramp, which is covered in snow during the winter months and is ideal for skiing.