Two local, very experienced mountaineers have been lost near Snoqualmie Pass this year: Monty Busby of Maple Valley; and my good friend Doug Walker of Seattle. They were probably doing reasonable hikes with a reasonable expectation of safety, and were well prepared, and yet, nature had other ideas for them.

The guys skiing Mount Si should probably be considered candidates for the Darwin awards. It is unsafe under the best conditions. The only way down is in an avalanche chute!

Reminds me of the 13 skiers who dared each other to ski off the back side of Stevens Pass four years ago. The conditions were less than questionable, they were demonstrably dangerous, and yet they goaded each other into going anyway. Three didn’t make it out of the avalanche alive.

I’ve skied for 60 years, and skied some of the steepest mountains in the West, but I’ve never taken a risk like this, where one misstep could be fatal, just to say I’d done it.

Robert Freeman

North Bend