Snowboarder falls to death at Mount St. Helens after cornice collapse

A snowboarder died Saturday after the snow underneath him gave way near the summit of Mount St. Helens, the Northwest Avalanche Center said in a preliminary report.

Standing near the mountain peak, the snowboarder triggered a cornice – an overhang of snow that can form on steep alpine slopes – to collapse and fell to his death.

“Our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community,” the avalanche center wrote in a post on its website.

Large cornices are more likely to fail during warmer weather, the agency said. According to the website, moderate avalanche danger was forecast this weekend in mountains throughout Washington.

The avalanche center will work with the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office and search and rescue to compile a full report.