A veteran Washington State Patrol soldier died in an avalanche on Monday, officials said.
Steve Houle, a 28-year-old veteran in the force, was riding a snowmobile with another man when the avalanche hit the French Cabin Creek area, the local sheriff’s office told KOMO-TV.
The other pilot managed to walk safely, but Houle was found dead later in the day, the report said.
“Steve was a great person and an excellent employee, loved and respected by all of us,” said WSP chief John Batiste in a statement.
“We keep your memory and your family close to our hearts at this painfully sad time,” said the chief.
Deadly avalanches are common this season in the United States. Last week, 15 people across the country were killed by natural disasters – the most in a seven-day period since 1910, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.