- - 2 men killed in avalanche in central Washington

Dennis RomeroJanuary 12, 2026 at 12:58 AM

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Responders on the scene in Longs Pass, Kittitas County, Wash., on Friday. (Kittitas County Sheriff)

Two men were killed in an avalanche in central Washington while snowmobiling on Friday, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office.

Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass, were enjoying the snow near Longs Pass in the mountains of northern Kittitas County at around 4 p.m. when they were killed. It is not clear at this time what caused the avalanche.

The victims were accompanied by two others who survived the avalanche.

The survivors were able send a distress signal with a satellite device, prompting a response from the sheriff’s office and Kittitas County Search and Rescue volunteers.

“Responders reached the remote area using snowmobiles and winter backcountry equipment and transported the two survivors out that evening,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “Due to hazardous conditions, a nighttime recovery operation for the deceased was not conducted.”

The teams returned to the area on Saturday and airlifted two victims to a search base, leaving them in the care of the Kittitas County Coroner’s Office.

The four men’s belongings, including two snowmobiles, were also recovered by the search team, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The Sheriff’s Office and KCSR extend condolences to the families and friends of those lost,” the sheriff’s office said.

Heavy snow has been affecting Washington since earlier this week, with the biggest accumulations reported on mountains, according to the National Weather Service field office in Seattle. On Mount Baker, 34 inches of snow were recorded, while 25 inches of snow were reported at Stevens Pass.

More snow is forecast for the state next week, especially in the Olympic and northern Cascade Mountains, per the weather service. Rain is also forecast for the area, with flooding expected along the Skokomish River.

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Source: “AOL Breaking”