Glacier National Park officials have identified the victims who died this week while climbing Dusty Star Mountain southwest of St. Mary Lake.
Brian McKenzie Kennedy, 67, of Columbia Falls and Jack DeWayne Beard, 67, of Kalispell were considered expert climbers by those who knew the men personally. Both were long-time members of the Glacier Mountaineering Society and well known in the local climbing community. Kennedy, the former editor and publisher of the Hungry Horse News had scaled more than 220 of the park’s named peaks.
The search for the men involved Two Bear Air, which conducted an air search on the east side approach of Dusty Star Mountain. Two Bear Air flew during the day and night on July 24 and Minuteman Aviation took over July 25 and NPS spotters on board located the bodies. Two Bear Air conducted the recovery operation the same day.
A third death of a hiker in the park occurred on July 25 when a Florida man fell to his death while ascending a slope near Rising Wolf Mountain.