Avalanche Fatality Reported Near Montana Ski Area
Missoula Avalanche has shared news of a fatal avalanche that occurred on Tuesday near Lost Trail Ski Area, which straddles the Idaho and Montana border.
Idaho Department of Transportation
A report published by lead forecaster Arden Feldman explains that five backcountry skiers were skiing northwest of Lost Trail in the Bitterroot Mountains before the slide.
One group member triggered an avalanche at about 8000 feet and was caught. While their partners found them and notified the authorities, the buried skier passed away at the scene due to injuries sustained during the avalanche.
Two Bear Air, with the assistance of Ravalli County Search and Rescue, removed the victim from the backcountry via helicopter.
After the slide, Missoula Avalanche visited the incident scene, noting that the involved avalanche was "approximately 250 feet wide and 3 feet deep and failed on a buried persistent weak layer."
The avalanche took place in Missoula Avalanche's Bitterroot forecast zone, where the current slide risk is "moderate." A forecast published yesterday notes that the primary avalanche problems are wet loose, wind slabs at upper elevations, and persistent slabs at upper elevations.
Related: Utah Ski Resort Sees 9 Inch Mid-Week Refresh
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