Page 62 - Flathead Beacon // 12.17.14

62 | DECEMBER 17, 2014
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On Dec. 8, as the sun set over the Whitefish Range, the call went out that there were two snowboard- ers missing beyond the boundaries of White- fish Mountain Resort. Within minutes, members of the North Valley Rescue, Flathead Backcountry Nordic Pa- trol and Whitefish Mountain Resort Ski Patrol were mo- bilized.
A few hours later the two snowboarders were found and on their way back to safety.
Last week’s incident served as a reminder of the im- portance of being prepared while exploring the back- country. It’s also an example of resources available when something goes wrong, according to Brian Heino, Flat- head County Search and Rescue coordinator.
“We’re really fortunate here in the Flathead Val- ley because we’ve got North Valley Rescue and Flathead County Search and Rescue, the Flathead Backcountry Nordic Patrol and Two Bear Air,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of resources and not every place is as fortunate as us.”
Flathead County Search and Rescue was formed in 1947 after Sheriff Dick Walsh organized a group of volun- teers to find a missing boy. After the search ended, Walsh asked the volunteers to leave their contact information in case another search party ever needed to be formed. Since 1950, the search and rescue team, part of the Flat- head County Sheriff’s Office, has served an important role. In 1970, North Valley Rescue formed to cover the north end of the Flathead and is based in Columbia Falls.
About the same time, the Essex Nordic Patrol, which later become the Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol, was organized to oversee the cross-country trails around the Izaak Walton Inn. In 1981 it expanded its scope to in- clude all of Flathead County.
More recently, in 2011, Two Bear Air was created with the help of Whitefish philanthropist Mike Goguen, who purchased a Bell 407 helicopter to start the non- profit search and rescue air service. Kalispell Regional Medical Center also operates the A.L.E.R.T. Air Ambu- lance service that serves rural communities throughout Northwest Montana and was the first rural medical air service in the country.
Although each service has different goals, it’s com- mon for them to work together. But Heino said search and rescue efforts are successful when the people they are looking for are prepared for the worst.
Heino said that anyone venturing into the backcoun-
try, even the terrain that’s just beyond the boundaries of Whitefish Mountain Re- sort, should bring supplies like food, water, a way to start a fire, some sort of shelter, a sig- nal, basic medical gear and ba- sic navigational tools.
“Those things can make the difference in someone making it out alive,” he said.
As cell service expands
across the remote parts of Northwest Montana, the
number of calls the search
and rescue team receives has increased. Heino said in the
past, Flathead County Search
and Rescue would receive anywhere from 125 to 150
calls annually; this year they
had hit 150 calls by early De-
cember. The advancement of
cell phone technology has also
made searches easier. When-
ever a lost person calls the lo-
cal 911 dispatcher, emergency
officials can “ping” the phone
to find its location. With that information, rescuers know where to go.
But there is one more key item in being prepared for a backcountry adventure: education and information. Both of those items can be found through the Flathead Avalanche Center, according to director Erich Peitzsch. Throughout the winter, the avalanche center offers back- country safety classes that are as short as an hour and as long as a weekend. Peitzsch said although more training is always better, even just taking a short course is benefi- cial if you’re going to be traveling in avalanche country. Though some might believe it’s too early in the season to run into avalanches, Peitzsch said when there is enough snow to ski, there is enough snow to slide.
“The hour-long course is a good reminder for folks who have taken training courses before but it’s also good for anyone who hasn’t had any training before,” Peitzsch said.
Gift From Around The World
Gift From Around The World
A Flathead Avalanche Center volunteer examines snow crystal types. COURTESY FLATHEAD AVALANCHE CENTER
But Peitzsch said education is only one piece of the puzzle and that having the proper gear and getting in- formation about weather and avalanche conditions are also critical before heading out. The best place to get avalanche information is from the center’s own website, www.flatheadavalanche.org. Avalanche advisories for the Flathead, Swan and Whitefish ranges as well as parts of Glacier National Park are posted on Tuesday, Thurs- day, Saturday and Sunday throughout the winter. The forecasts are compiled by a team of experts who head into the backcountry multiple times a week to dig snow pits and gather as much information as they can. Howev- er, they also rely on observations reported by the public.
“Even one small snow pit gives us a lot of information about what’s happening in the area,” he said.
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