Heroism, Horror After Avalanche That Killed West Hartford Man

WEST HARTFORD, CT/NORTH BEND, WASH. — A recently released report has revealed some harrowing details about how a West Hartford resident was killed in an avalanche last month.

After weeks of investigations, the Northwest Avalanche Center, the North Bend, Wash.,- based office that is part of the U.S. Forest Service, completed and released its report on the avalanche Feb. 19 that claimed the life of West Hartford resident Seongtae “Bob” Cho, 54.

The report, finalized March 23, includes some detailed photographs showing just how treacherous the conditions were and how remote their Washington State location was.

But the report also shows the West Hartford resident's heroism, as he didn't want to hold up survival efforts of his fellow climbers, urging them to get help.

Sadly, Cho didn't make it. He was found dead when rescuers arrived the next day.

Cho left behind a wife and three children in West Hartford after he was caught up in an avalanche in a part of Washington State called "Colchuck Peak."

Also killed were a 60-year-old woman from Bayside, N.Y., and a 66-year-old man from Palisades Park, N.J.

While Cho's body was, eventually recovered and flown back to Connecticut, the bodies of the two others were never recovered and are presumed buried under snow, according to federal officials.

The fallen trio was part of a group of six climbers trying to climb that area that day. Three other climbers survived the avalanche, with two of them escaping injury altogether.

Colchuck Peak is near Colchuck Lake, which is located approximately 8 miles south of Leavenworth, Wash.

According to the detailed, 18-page report, the actual avalanche at 1:15 p.m. Feb. 19 carried away four members of the six-person climbing team 1,000 feet down the mountain.

The next day, Feb. 20, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office was notified of the avalanche and a rescue operation ensued shortly after 8:30 a.m. that day.

Northwest Avalanche Center investigators interviewed the survivors of the incident, who painted a frightening picture of a midday mountain climb gone horribly wrong.

The six climbers were, actually, part of an 11-person climbing team at the area, though six tried to scale the mountain that day, according to the report.

Federal investigators said the group was two-thirds up the mountain when someone in the party inadvertently triggered the avalanche.

The deadly cascade of snow and ice swept four of the six down the mountain, with two survivors shielded by a large rock, according to the report.

Those two survivors, the report states, quickly realized four of their party were missing and, immediatelly, went looking for them.

Citing surviving witnesses, the report indicates survivors found two of the climbers were unconscious and not breathing, with CPR efforts on one of them unsuccessful.

Cho, initially, survived the avalanche and was alert and able to move, despite his serious injuries, according to the report.

Still, the report states, Cho persuaded the three mobile survivors to go down the mountain without him, saying he wouldn't be able to make it without outside assistance, and to seek help.

The morning of Feb. 20, rescuers did arrive and found that Cho had died, with the other two victims, who were presumed dead, never found, reads the report.

"They were buried by new snow overnight and, possibly, subsequent avalanches," reads the federal report.

A total of 22 state and regional rescuers were involved in the operation to recover the bodies of those left at the avalanche site.

Dangerous weather precluded the recovery of Cho's body until a few days later on Feb. 24, according to the report.

Federal investigators said all three of the avalanche victims died from the trauma of being swept away by the avalanche.

Cho is believed to have suffered a severe back injury, in addition to other traumatic injuries.

One of the fatalities was attributed to obvious head trauma, while the other deceased climber's death was attributed to "trauma" as well.

Two of the survivors suffered no apparent injuries and the other survivor reported two injured knees and an ankle, but was able to make it down the mountain with the other two after the avalanche.

Cho's death stunned the community, with contributions still being sought to help his family following their tragic loss.

So far, a $21,524 of the $40,000 goal has been met as part of a GoFundMe campaign that is still ongoing.

To help the Cho family, visit this GoFundMe link.

For the full, Northwest Avalanche Center report, click on this link.

From March 3: 'Fundraising Campaign To Help West Hartford Avalanche Victim's Family'

From Feb. 23: 'Avalanche Claims Life Of West Hartford Man: Sheriff'