BURSTAn accident that took place in Washington over the weekend has left three climbers dead. A fourth climber survived and managed to get to safety. The four climbers were on Early Winter Couloir, a line that splits the South and North Early Winter Spires in the Cascades. They began descending when they noticed a storm approaching.
According to the Seattle Times, Okanogan county under-sheriff David Yarnell said the surviving victim walked out not knowing “he had as significant of internal injuries as he did.” Those killed were ages 36, 47 and 63, but their names have not been released.
“All four were tied to the same anchor point, which Yarnell said is ‘not preferred,'” the article said. “Investigators will try to determine whether the climbers were using a preexisting anchor point, or their own gear… All we know is that the anchor point that they were all tied off to failed.”
Our condolences to the family and friends of those who didn’t make it home. For anyone in need of information on grief resources, visit the American Alpine Club’s Climbing Grief Fund page here.
Okanogan County Sheriff Office press release in full on May 12: Two sheriff’s deputies and the agency’s search and rescue coordinator were first to respond to the scene. The Snohomish County helicopter rescue team extricated the three who died from the “technical, mountainous terrain,” according to the Okanogan County sheriff’s office’s statement.
Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office personnel and Okanogan County Search and Rescue volunteers responded to a climbing accident in the area of North Early Winters Spire off of State Route 20, approximately 16 miles west of Mazama, WA, at approximately 1130 on May 11, 2025.
A party of four climbers from Renton, WA, were involved in a fall while descending a steep gully. Three individuals were confirmed deceased at the accident site. The fourth member of the party self-extricated and contacted law enforcement.
Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team assisted in extricating the deceased members of the party from the technical, mountainous terrain. The presumed cause of the accident is an anchor failure while rappelling, with more investigation still ongoing.
The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the SAR volunteers and Snohomish County for assisting in this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the family members and friends of those involved.
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