Slide danger ranked extreme
Heavy snow, warm weather combine
SEATTLE – Weather forecasters are telling people to stay off the higher slopes of mountains in the Cascades and Olympics through this weekend because of extreme avalanche danger.
Meteorologist Kenny Kramer with the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center said a heavy snowfall last week and expected sunshine and warm weather will make it very dangerous above 8,000 feet. He said hikers should particularly avoid Mount Hood, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, Glacier Peak and Mount Baker.
A 27-year-old Olympia man is presumed dead after he was apparently caught in an avalanche Saturday on Mount Rainier. Ten other climbers were able to escape from the slide.