Sheriff Brian Burnett reports a backwoods skier was killed in an avalanche Saturday afternoon while skiing on the southwest face of Mount Cashmere above Trout Creek. Daniel Zimmermann 28yoa of Leavenworth, WA suffered fatal injuries Saturday afternoon when he was swept about 800 feet down a coulee and through a grouping of small trees.
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office received a cell phone call from subjects skiing with Zimmermann at the time of the avalanche, who had to ski and snowmobile away from the location of the incident to make the 9-1-1 call. A search and rescue mission was launched immediately upon receipt of the emergency and a Medstar helicopter was launched to the area. By the time rescuers made it to an area north of Zimmermann's location, it was determined he had not survived his severe injuries. Other members of Zimmerman's skiing party had stayed at the scene in an attempt to save him. No one else was caught in the avalanche or injured during the event.
Due to the high avalanche danger in the area and hours of darkness on Saturday evening, it was decided Zimmermann's body would be recovered on Sunday morning by a team of experience mountain rescue personnel and other experienced volunteers. Family members have been notified of the incident.
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office asks anyone considering a backwoods skiing, snowshoeing, or snowmobiling trek into the west county area to realize the high avalanche danger before making a decision to enter the mountainous region.
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