The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed Susan Skjersaa, 52, and her husband Terance Skjersaa, 57, as the victims of Monday’s fatal Oregon avalanche near Broken Top peak. The experienced backcountry skiers from Bend were caught in a sudden slide at 6,700 feet on a steep south-facing slope – terrain notorious for unstable snowpack.
‘Their plan was to snowmobile into an area they could ski,’ said Sheriff Kent van der Kamp. ‘Search teams faced hazardous conditions during recovery efforts.’
The Central Oregon Avalanche Center reports the couple likely inadvertently triggered the 2,042-meter avalanche while navigating Happy Valley’s complex terrain. Key factors under investigation:
- Rapid temperature shifts creating weak snow layers
- South-facing slope angle exceeding 35 degrees
- Recent snowfall accumulation patterns
As founding members of Bend’s Skyliners Ski Club and operators of the city’s first ski shop, the Skjersaas leave an enduring legacy. Friends described them as ‘meticulous planners’ who championed backcountry safety education.
This tragedy underscores critical avalanche preparedness needs for winter recreationists. Experts emphasize:
- Real-time avy forecast monitoring
- Proper rescue gear deployment drills
- Slope stability assessment training
The Sheriff’s Office urges avalanche survivors to share incident details anonymously through their NW Avalanche Center portal to improve future risk modeling.