BEND, Ore. — A Seattle man has died after he got trapped and was injured on the steep terrain of Mount Bachelor in Oregon on Monday.
Mount Bachelor is located about half an hour drive from Bend, Oregon and is part of the Cascade Mountain Range. On its website, it says Mt. Bachelor is the “Pacific NW’s largest resort playground and 7th largest ski resort in North America.”
Around 3:04 p.m., Deschutes County 911 received an emergency SOS text via satellite saying that a person was trapped and injured on the west side of the mountain. It’s unclear how he got injured.
Ski Patrol, AirLink, search and rescue and sheriff’s deputies responded immediately.
When they arrived, the man was found buried headfirst in snow and was unresponsive. Despite rescue efforts, he died from his injuries.
He has been identified as 34-year-old Benjamin Shelkey.
“This is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts are with those who knew and loved him. We also want to recognize the swift response and dedication of all those citizens who assisted in this rescue effort,” said Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp.
While the cause of the accident remains under investigation, and the official cause of death has not yet been determined, the circumstances are consistent with snow immersion suffocation.
The sheriff’s office urges people to be aware of snow immersion hazards.
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