Aasgard Pass casualty found by rescue team

LEAVENWORTH – The body of a Chinese citizen lost in a glissading accident on Aasgard Pass in early June was located Saturday by the Chelan County Mountain Rescue team.

The rescue team airlifted the body of 24-year-old Qi He by helicopter from near the pass, said Sgt. Andy Zimmerman of the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office. The body became visible under an ice field as deep snow on the pass receded in summer’s heat.

Members of the Mountain Rescue team were on a pre-planned recovery hike when they located the body in the Aasgard Pass area, said Zimmerman.

While sliding down snow and ice June 5, Qi He disappeared into water rushing down a waterfall hole. At the time, search and rescue workers went into the snow hole about 40 feet but failed to find the man.

Qi He had been with a group of people glissading down snow and ice on the steep hiker-only pass that leads from Colchuck Lake to the Upper Enchantment Lakes. Glissading is sliding down a snowy or icy slope with the support of an ice ax.