01/11/2026
The Sheriff’s Office and KCSR extend condolences to the families and friends of those lost.
MEDIA RELEASE: AVALANCHE NEAR LONGS PASS CLAIMS TWO LIVES, TWO RESCUED
On Friday, January 9, at about 4:00 p.m., four men recreating in the backcountry snow near Longs Pass in the mountains of northern Kittitas County were caught in an avalanche. Two men—Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass—were killed.
Two survivors, Ian Laing and Patrick Leslie, were able to send a distress call using a Garmin satellite device. Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Kittitas County Search & Rescue (KCSR) volunteers responded.
Responders reached the remote area using snowmobiles and winter backcountry equipment and transported the two survivors out that evening. Due to hazardous conditions, a nighttime recovery operation for the deceased was not conducted.
On Saturday morning, January 10, teams returned with three trained avalanche search K9s. Because of the rugged, remote terrain, air support was requested. King County’s Guardian 2 helicopter assisted by airlifting the two deceased men to a search base, where they were placed in the care of the Kittitas County Coroner’s Office.
The ground team also recovered the men’s personal effects, including the two snowmobiles used by the party. Representatives of the Northwest Avalanche Center came to the scene to assist in analyzing the accident.
The Sheriff’s Office and KCSR extend condolences to the families and friends of those lost.
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