North Powder, Oregon – Last week, a tragic incident occurred when an avalanche forecaster, Nick Burks, aged 37, lost his life to an avalanche he accidentally set off while skiing with a friend in the backcountry of Gunsight Mountain, near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort. Both skiers, equipped with avalanche airbags and beacons, were seasoned in navigating such terrain. Burks was caught by the slide, and despite his companion’s quick response to locate him using a transceiver, Burks was unresponsive when found.
Witnesses at the ski lodge alerted first responders upon seeing the avalanche unfold. Although CPR was performed, Burks could not be revived. His skiing companion emerged unharmed, with their identity yet to be disclosed.
AVALANCHE SUMMARY From Wallowa Avalanche Center
At approximately 4:30 pm on Wednesday, March 6th, a backcountry skier was killed in an avalanche near Anthony Lakes Ski Area. The accident occurred on the north side of Gunsight Mountain (8342′) and involved two skiers. The first was able to descend the prominent north-facing couloir on Gunsight without incident. The 2nd triggered the avalanche near the top of the couloir. He was caught, carried, deployed his airbag, and came to rest at the surface of the snow. Skier 1 called 911 and performed life-saving measures. A small group assembled in the Anthony Lakes parking lot and assisted Skier 1 until Baker and Union County SAR teams arrived. Unfortunately, the victim succumbed to injuries at the site. The avalanche failed on a layer of weak, faceted snow and is classified as HS-ASu-R4-D3-O. A more detailed report is forthcoming. Our community is small and we understand the tremendous grief many are experiencing. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.
At approximately 4:30 pm on Wednesday, March 6th, an avalanche accident occurred on the north side of Gunsight Mountain (8342′) in the Elkhorn Mountains near Anthony Lakes.
We are deeply saddened to announce that Nick Burks passed away due to trauma after triggering an avalanche while backcountry skiing with a friend. Nick was an avalanche forecaster for the Wallowa Avalanche Center. A full investigation and report will be forthcoming in the coming days. Our backcountry community is small and we understand the tremendous grief many are experiencing. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.
(Photo taken of Nick last spring while skiing in the Wallowas)
wallowaavalanchecenter.org
Burks had long been a respected member of the professional avalanche-forecasting community, contributing his expertise to the Wallowa Avalanche Center in northeastern Oregon and previously to the snow safety team at Mt. Hood Meadows Ski and Summer Resort. His role involved assessing mountain snowpack and weather conditions to predict avalanche dangers, a task that has grown more challenging with climate shifts and increased backcountry activity.