Avalanche Incident

Official Reports

Brief Report from Karl Birkeland, Bozeman

Last Saturday (1/3/98) a snowmobiler was reported missing (and presumed caught in an avalanche) on Reas Pk, which is located near Island Park on the ID/MT border. Reas Pk is just about 4 miles WSW of Sawtell Pk, where another snowmobiler was caught, buried and killed in an avalanche on Saturday.

Yesterday (1/6/98) Ron Johnson went down to assist in the search efforts. The suspect avalanche is big - about 2 to 3 feet deep, 1500 feet across, and it ran about 700 to 1000 vertical feet. Parts of the debris are estimated to be up to 20 feet deep and the search area is threatened by other avalanche paths that have not slid. As a result of the danger to searchers, the search has been suspended.

Karl Birkelandbr Avalanche Specialistbr Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Centerbr Bozeman, MT br

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