Friends of CAIC

COOKE CITY AVALANCHE FATALITY

On Sunday, January 3rd, a snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche on Scotch Bonnet Mountain near Lulu Pass. He was riding up a narrow slope bordered by trees when he triggered the slide. The slope was tracked up from previous riders. He was on a lower angled part of the slope, about halfway up, when it released. He was carried and buried 2 feet deep and pushed against trees. His partner located him quickly with a beacon, but it took 40 minutes and two others to help dig to fully extricate him. He was tangled in tree branches. The slide broke on a layer of facets 2 feet deep, was 100 feet wide and ran 1,000 feet slope distance. The steepest part of the slope, near the crown, was 35 degrees. A full report will be coming soon. Our condolences and sympathies go out to his family, friends and riding partner.