Brian Thomas Roberts was part of a guided cat-skiing group, a service of Diamond Lake Resort, when the avalanche struck around 3:45 p.m. on the mountain’s north/northwest side, within a motorized closure area, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Fellow skiers dug Roberts out and attempted lifesaving efforts with the help of two nurses on scene, but he did not survive.
The group traveled about two miles to a snowmobile trail, where they met responders and Diamond Lake Resort staff. One other skier sustained a puncture or laceration injury, possibly from a branch or ski pole, but declined ambulance transport, the sheriff’s office said.

The group had conducted avalanche test digs earlier in the day, according to the sheriff’s office. Mount Bailey is a 8,375-foot peak located across Diamond Lake from Mount Thielsen.

The incident Thursday was the third death caused by an avalanche in the Oregon Cascades this winter. On Feb. 17, Bend residents Terance Olaf Skjersaa, 57, and Susan Renee Skjersaa, 52, were killed in an avalanche on Broken Top mountain.