This editorial will appear in Wednesday’s print edition.

This winter has been a killer in Washington’s Cascade Mountains – literally.

In Mount Rainier National Park, a snowshoer died in December and four other people went missing in mid-January and are presumed dead. On Sunday, a snowboarder and three veteran skiers died in backcountry avalanches.

In some of the cases, it’s possible that technology might have been a life-saver – had it been used. The most remarkable survival story is that of professional skier Elyse Saugstad, who credits her specialty air bag with keeping her on top of the avalanche Sunday at Stevens Pass that killed three companions.
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