It's a dangerous time to go hiking in backcountry

The snowpack is upside down this year.

Cold temperatures in early December brought light, fluffy powder that coated the ground. As the month progressed, that layer was covered by deep, dense and heavy snow.

The result, like stacking bricks atop potato chips, is dangerously unstable, officials said.

"We really would urge great concern in traveling in the backcountry right now because there could be the potential for very large avalanches," said Oyvind Henningsen, a board member of Everett Mountain Rescue and a volunteer with Snohomish County Search and Rescue. "It's not trying to scare people, but it's a wake-up call for people to please be aware."

Avalanche risks closed 42 miles of U.S. 2 over Stevens Pass on New Year's Day. The highway reopened Friday morning.

Since Dec. 14, nearly a dozen people have died in avalanches in the United States. In British Columbia, 10 people have died in snow slides this season.

Last year -- dubbed the worst avalanche season in modern history -- nine people died in Washington state, including three Snohomish County residents.

A year ago Sunday, Emily Swanson, 13, of Mukilteo was killed by an avalanche while hiking near Lake 22 on Mount Pilchuck.

"Her very premature death was a tragedy," Henningsen said. He helped lead the group that found the girl buried in the snow.

The teenager's hiking party was near 2,300 feet elevation, well below where avalanches typically strike.

"It's not a place where an average person would think was dangerous," said Mike Loney, another volunteer with Everett Mountain Rescue. "That's the lesson of the avalanche: So many places that appear benign or safe can be dangerous."

In 1910, officials believed two trains stopped near Stevens Pass in the tiny town of Wellington were safe. The slides that struck at 1:42 a.m. on March 1 swept locomotives and passenger cars off the tracks like matchsticks. It took months to dig out the 96 people who perished.

The Wellington Disaster remains the nation's deadliest avalanche.

Still, there are safe ways to enjoy the wilderness during the wintertime.

Several local organizations offer classes in backcountry winter safety. Anyone going into the backcountry should have some avalanche knowledge, be properly equipped and know how to assess the risks, officials said.

Weather, snowpack and terrain are the best predictors of avalanche safety, they said.

People venturing onto the snow should wear avalanche beacons, electronic transmitters that can help rescuers quickly locate someone. They also should carry avalanche probes and snow shovels.

"The bad news is that it does cost time and money (to learn winter safety), and the good news it can save your life," Loney said. "So it's worth every penny."

Strong winds and warming temperatures New Year's Day forced avalanche experts to raise the threat level to extreme.

Three major highway passes across the Cascades were closed.

By Friday, the situation improved.

"In general, things are shaping up better for the weekend. The snowpack has partly stabilized," said Garth Ferber, a forecaster with the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center.

That doesn't mean people can let down their guard, he said.

"If they're going to venture near avalanche terrain, they need to understand how to take precautions and how to assess snow stability," he said.

Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com