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Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. Mount St. Helens avalanche
2. Climber death at Mount St. Helens
The catastrophic 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington, the most devastating in U.S. history, is revisited. An experienced climber and snowboarder, Roscoe “Rocky” Shorey, was found dead after triggering an avalanche by falling into the volcano. Survivor Chris Ballew recounts the deadly blast that killed 57 people and spread 520 million tons of ash. Cornices, like the one that led to Shorey’s fall, can break off suddenly in warmer weather. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office recovered Shorey’s body and urged caution for climbers. Remembering the anniversary, Professor Cliff Mass shared insights on the aftermath of the eruption.
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1. Mount St. Helens climber death
2. Mount St. Helens avalanche victim
A look back at the catastrophic 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington—the most devastating volcanic eruption in U.K. history—and the events leading up to it.
SKAMANIA COUNTY, Wash. – An experienced climber and snowboarder was found dead about 1,200 feet below the summit of Mount St. Helens in Washington state after officials believe he triggered an avalanche after falling into the volcano.
According to the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC), it’s believed that the climber and snowboarder, whom officials identified as Roscoe “Rocky” Shorey, 42, of Washougal, Washington, triggered a cornice and fell into the crater of Mount St. Helens on March 29th.
Mount St. Helens eruption survivor Chris Ballew, who was 14 years old at the time of the eruption, recounts getting caught in a massive cloud of volcanic ash. The blast killed 57 people and spewed 520 million tons of ash across the country. (Video from May 2023)
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That fall, according to the NWAC, then triggered a slab avalanche on the slope below.
Cornices grow through winter on wind-exposed ridges and summits on mountains and can break off the terrain suddenly when temperatures rise, catching outdoor enthusiasts off guard.
A helicopter is seen in the crater of Mount St. Helens.
(Skamania County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
In a Facebook post, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office in Washington state said a climbing group that reached the summit of Mount St. Helens on March 30th notified them after locating a backpack, digital recording devices and other personal effects near the rim of the volcano’s crater and observed Shorey’s body within the crater.
Crews were then airlifted to the crater of the volcano and were able to recover the victim’s body and return to the incident command at the Marble Mountain Sno-Park.
Cliff Mass, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington, joined FOX Weather to remember the 43-year anniversary since Mount St. Helens erupted and what he remembers in the days after. (Video from May 2023)
Officials said Shoery was an experienced climber and snowboarder who had successfully summitted Mount St. Helens nearly 30 times before the fatal incident.
“The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office offers their condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Shorey,” the department said in the Facebook post.
The sheriff’s office also reminded climbers of the dangers that warmer weather brings.
“Snow cornices are difficult to detect and become weaker during warm, sunny periods,” the department said.
