Skier survives hours-long burial at Stevens Pass

STEVENS PASS — A skier at Stevens Pass was found alive after he was buried by an inbounds avalanche for approximately four hours.

Stevens Pass confirmed that an inbounds avalanche occurred in the Big Chief Bowl area on Feb. 26. The resort said ski patrol received a report of a missing person at approximately 4 p.m., prompting a search. 

According to a GoFundMe page set up by the skier’s family, Michael Harris of Bothell, WA, had gone up to Stevens Pass alone for a powder day. After noticing his iPhone location had not moved for three hours, his wife contacted ski patrol and drove up to the mountain.

With the help of his iPhone location, patrol was able to pinpoint the search area. Stevens Pass said it located and safely extricated the skier before transporting him to King County Fire District 50 medics for further care, clearing the area shortly before 6 p.m. According to his daughter Lauren, Harris was hypothermic and had sustained injuries to his lung and kidneys, as well as a broken leg. 

“It is a true miracle that he survived and didn’t sustain life altering or life threatening injuries. I have been thanking God since the incident that he is still here with us,” she wrote on the GoFundMe page, thanking ski patrol, emergency medical personnel, and hospital staff.

According to the Snow Institute, the chances of surviving an avalanche quickly diminish after the first 10 minutes of a full burial. Approximately two thirds of all completely buried victims die from lack of oxygen in the following 20 minutes, with odds continuing to decrease as time progresses.

“Stevens Pass places the highest value on the safety of our guests and employees. Ski Patrol regularly performs avalanche mitigation work, monitors snow conditions and weather forecasts, and evaluates terrain to the extent possible as conditions change,” a spokesperson for Stevens Pass said in a statement to Ward Media.

At the time of writing, nearly $33,000 had been donated to help Harris cover medical costs and additional bills while he recovers. The fundraiser can be found on GoFundMe: Help Michael Recover from Avalanche Injuries.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media