Released by: Sergeant Jason Wall
Release Date: February 19, 2025
Deceased: Skjersaa, Terance Olaf 57-year-old male, Bend
Deceased: Skjersaa, Susan Renee 52-year-old female, Bend
Location: Snowmobile Trail 8 near Trail 88 (Happy Valley Area)
NARRATIVE:
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office responded on February 17th, 2025, to a reported avalanche burial of backcountry skiers in the area of Trail 8 between the junction with Trail 88 and Trail 6. This area is between the Bend Watershed and Broken Top Mountain and commonly known as Happy Valley.
The subjects were determined overdue during the evening of February 17th and friends began searching for them. Shortly before midnight, friends found the subjects buried in an avalanche. Both were deceased. The avalanche was suspected to have occurred several hours before the subjects were found.
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue sent two members to the scene overnight and they were joined by additional members and a deputy yesterday morning to conduct the investigation and recovery. Both victims were recovered.
The public should be aware avalanche danger in the Central Cascades area is moderate to considerable. Please use extreme caution when recreating in the areas and check coavalanche.org for more information including forecasts and observations.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Central Oregon Avalanche Center and United States Forest Service.
