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Authorities ID Jewel Basin Avalanche Victim

By Beacon Staff

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office identified the man killed in Wednesday’s avalanche in Jewel Basin in the Swan Range east of Kalispell.

According to Deputy Coroner Jordan White, Mark Albee, 42, of Bigfork, died in the slide while on a backcountry ski trip with his brother.

Reports of the avalanche first came in on Feb. 1 at approximately 2:32 p.m., when Albee’s brother called emergency personnel. The brothers had been backcountry skiing on a ridge between Twin Lakes and Wildcat Lake when a cornice broke. The victim fell with the cornice, according to a statement from Sheriff Chuck Curry, which triggered an avalanche at about noon.

The avalanche triggered near 7,100 feet elevation at the ridge line along the east aspect of the Swan Range, Curry said. It had a vertical drop of approximately 500 feet, leaving a deposition zone roughly 600 feet wide and 200 feet across.

Albee’s brother tried to find him, but could not do so safely, Curry said. He went back to his truck and called for help.

There was a storm system moving into the area during the afternoon, with clouds making it impossible for the ALERT helicopter and Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources to reach the avalanche site, Curry said.

The North Valley Search and Rescue and U.S. Forest Service responded on snowmobiles from the Hungry Horse Reservoir, while the Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol, Flathead County Search and Rescue, and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office approached from the Jewel Basin Road area. Both ground-based rescue efforts were forced to turn back due to heavy snowfall and zero visibility, Curry said.

Rescue efforts continued on Thursday morning, Feb. 2. The clouds lifted at approximately 11:30 a.m., giving Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources an opportunity to reach the slide. Members of North Valley Search and Rescue and Forest Service officers arrived by snowmobile around noon.

Searchers conducted a transceiver search of the area over varying terrain and were able to locate Albee at approximately 12:20 p.m. He was recovered from under approximately five feet of snow and transported by helicopter out of the site.

Curry reported that Albee and his brother were both highly skilled and experienced back-country skiers with many years of winter experience in the Jewel Basin. Both skiers had all the appropriate training and safety equipment for the environment and their activity.

Over 60 responders from Flathead County SAR, North Valley SAR, Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol, US Forest Service, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead County Office of Emergency Services, ALERT, and Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources participated in the search effort.