An avalanche in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains has killed two backcountry skiers, authorities said Tuesday.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that its search-and-rescue unit recovered two bodies west of Bend in Happy Valley, near Broken Top peak.
The couple had been skiing when an avalanche happened Monday at 6,700 feet on a south-facing slope, the Central Oregon Avalanche Center said in a social media post.
“We extend our deepest condolences to all who loved the couple who tragically lost their lives while doing what they loved,” the post said. “As longtime residents of Central Oregon, they have touched many lives, and their legacy will continue to live on in our community.”
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday identified Susan Skjersaa, 52, and Terance Skjersaa, 57, as the couple killed. The avalanche happened late Monday west of Bend in an area known as Happy Valley, near Broken Top peak. Both skiers lived in Bend.
The couple’s bodies were recovered Tuesday by the sheriff’s office search and rescue team.
The Central Oregon Avalanche Center said the avalanche happened at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) on a south-facing slope. What triggered the avalanche is unknown, but it is likely that they triggered the avalanche themselves on Monday afternoon, the organization said.
The search started after friends reported that the couple was overdue from recreating on Monday, Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp told KTVZ-TV.
“Their plan was to snowmobile into an area they could ski,” he said.
The Skjersaa family has a history in Bend that includes opening the city’s first ski shop and founding the Skyliners Ski Club.