Officials Urge Caution in Avalanche Areas
Information submitted by Chelan County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Brian Burnett reports a 29 year old back country skier was rescued Sunday afternoon after being swept off her skies during a snow slide in the area above of Colchuck Lake.
Shanna Hovertsen of Seattle was skiing with friends at around 1:15pm when a small avalanche caused her to tumble down the slope twisting both of her knees. She was assisted by the other three subjects in the group and escorted to a campsite near Colchuck Lake. Hovertsen could not hike out under her own power. One of the subjects used an inReach satellite communication device to text a request for assistance to the International Emergency Rescue Communication Center in Texas.
The message was relayed to the Washington State Emergency Management communication center at Camp Murray, and then to RIVERCOM dispatch. A Chelan County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crew was launched from Wenatchee. The helicopter was able to land near the patient. Hovertsen was flown to the National Fish Hatchery landing pad near Leavenworth by 4:40pm where an ambulance was waiting to transport her to Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth.
Hovertsen is in stable condition. Inquiries concerning this media release may be made to Sergeant Kent Sisson with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office.
