In separate incidents, people nearly drown in Glacier

Hungry Horse News

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK - A Lake McDonald Lodge employee nearly drowned after she fell into Avalanche Gorge Friday evening and in a separate incident, folks in kayaks probably saved the lives of some people who capsized their canoe in Kintla Lake Sunday.

In the Avalanche Gorge incident, park officials did not release the woman's name, who is from Slovakia, because they wanted to give her a chance to notify her family. She is said to be doing well and is expected to come back to work.

A companion said he witnessed the woman fall into the water and he followed her downstream. When he got to her, she was face down and unconscious.

The companion and a physician's assistant began CPR and were able to revive the woman.

The ALERT helicopter flew to the park and the woman was transported to a landing zoning at Red Rock Point.

How she fell into the gorge isn't clear from the Park report.

Avalanche Gorge is about 20 feet deep and is surrounded by rocks that can be slippery. People have fallen into the gorge and survived prior to this incident. They have also drowned as well.

At Kintla Lake Sunday, a canoe with four people capsized and at least two suffered from hypothermia. Some folks in kayaks went to their aid and helped them get to the south shore of the lake. Two had life jackets, two did not.

Another person in a kayak then went to the ranger station and Ranger Lyle Rutebories took a boat out to them and brought them back to the station. His wife, Marge, used hot water bottles to help warm the soaked and cold folks back up.

The victims were not seriously injured, but park officials note that if it wasn't for the kayakers, there was a strong likelihood that someone could have drowned.

Glacier's waters are extremely cold - hovering in the 40s and 50s right now. Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death in the Park.