NJ Man, 2 Others Killed During Avalanche In Washington: Sheriff

ALPINE LAKES WILDERNESS, WASHINGTON — A 66-year-old New Jersey man was one of three people killed Sunday during an avalanche in Washington State, according to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office.

The lead climber triggered the avalanche while attempting to climb the Northeast Couloir of Colchuck Peak in Central Washington, authorities said. Four of the climbers were swept about 500 feet down the couloir, and three died as a result of trauma sustained in the fall.

The decedents also included a New York woman, 60, and a 53-year-old Connecticut man. Officials haven't publicly identified any of the climbers as of Wednesday morning.

A New York man, 56, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was able to hike back to base camp and get help with two other climbers in the group — a 36-year-old New Jersey man and a 50-year-old New York man.

A 53-year-old Maryland man, who stayed at the base camp that day, alerted authorities that the group he was with had attempted to climb the peak on Sunday. Twenty-two rescuers responded to the trailhead to assist. They determined that avalanche conditions were too hazardous to continue to the deceased climbers, officials said. They escorted the surviving climbers back to the trailhead.

Rescuers were not sent back to the scene Tuesday due to hazardous conditions, officials said. Recovery efforts are expected to continue later in the week.

Colchuck Peak is an 8,705-foot mountain summit in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness — approximately 8 miles south of Leavenworth, Washington.