A 33-year-old Kalispell man died in an avalanche near Olney on Saturday, according to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office received a report of the fatal avalanche on Jan. 23. It occurred near Swede Creek in the Whitefish Mountain Range near Olney.
According to Sheriff Chuck Curry, three snowmobilers were riding together when one of them triggered the slide. Two of the riders were buried, and one was able to self-extricate. The survivors were able to locate the third victim with an avalanche transceiver, but he was deceased by the time they dug him out.
After their resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, the survivors rode out for help. Due to the poor weather and extreme avalanche conditions, the man’s body was not recovered until Sunday, when a helicopter was able to locate him.
The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of his family.
Curry said avalanche experts were flown to the scene on Sunday afternoon, and more information will be released once it is available.