Broken cornice triggers deadly avalanche

The

body of a 42-year-old Bigfork man was recovered Feb. 2 by

search-and-rescue crews from an avalanche site in the Jewel Basin

hiking area along the Swan Range.

Mark Albee was killed when he and his

brother Iain were backcountry skiing Feb. 1 on the Swan Crest and

unknowingly skied over a cornice, triggering an avalanche,

according to a release from the Flathead County Sheriff’s

office

The cornice, a wind-loaded snow ledge,

fractured and started the avalanche. Iain attempted an initial

search, but when he could not reach his brother he returned to his

vehicle to call for help.

The avalanche occurred around noon on

an east-facing slope between Wildcat and Twin Lakes in the Jewel

Basin. A storm system moved into the area that afternoon. The

system prevented search and rescue efforts from reaching the site

until the next day.

Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources

reached the avalanche site late Thursday morning.

Mark Albee was recovered from under

five feet of snow and transported by helicopter out of the site.

The victim and his brother were both highly skilled and experienced

backcountry skiers, according to the Sheriff’s office. Both had the

appropriate training and safety equipment for the environment.

The avalanche triggered near 7,100 feet

at the ridgeline. It had a vertical drop of about 500 feet, and a

run of 600 feet long and 200 feet across.

Some 60 responders participated in the

search.