Crime & Safety

Search Team Finds Body of Renton Dentist Lost in April Avalanche

The body of 61-year-old Mitch Hungate was located by a team from King County Search and Rescue Wednesday morning on Granite Mountain near Snoqualmie Pass.

 

A search party Wednesday morning located the body of a 61-year-old dentist who practiced in Renton, swept down the slopes of Granite Mountain by a large avalanche in April.

A small team from King County Search and Rescue located the body of Mitch Hungate of Kent about halfway down the 1,200-foot path of avalanche, said Sgt. Cindi West, spokeswoman for the King County Sheriff’s Office.

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Granite Mountain is just north of Interstate 90, at about milepost 47 east of North Bend.

“They’re bringing him out right now,” West said Wednesday morning at about 8:30. “We sent a small team in this morning. We’ve been checking (avalanche) conditions every day, which were high over the weekend because of the warm weather.”

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Conditions have stabilized over the last two days, and the rapidly melting of snow in recent days revealed where Hungate was, she said.

Hungate’s family was on the scene at the base of the mountain, West added.

Hungate was snowshoeing with two friends on April 12 when all three were hit by the avalanche. The other two men were OK, but could not find Hungate.

On the same day not far away, an avalanche hit two parties near Snoqualmie Pass, .


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