Girl, 14, dies in snowboard crash at Blacktail Ski Area

The Daily Inter Lake

A 14-year-old Lakeside girl died Monday in a snowboarding accident at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area.

The accident was reported at noon, when the girl reportedly was found unconscious.

Her name will not be released until later today, according to Deputy Coroner Dave Leib.

He said the girl apparently hit a tree. A novice snowboarder, she was wearing a helmet, he said.

She was flown by Life Flight helicopter from St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center in Missoula from Blacktail to Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Blacktail General Manager Steve Spencer said the resort's ski patrol responded to the accident. He did not know whether anyone witnessed the accident.

Skiing conditions at the time were excellent, he said. With higher temperatures on President's Day, Blacktail had a "pretty good" crowd for the holiday.

The fatality was Blacktail's first accident-related death, Spencer said. The resort reported a death caused by a heart attack a few years ago.

ALERT helicopter was not available Monday. Kalispell Fire Department's ambulance, Lakeside Quick Response Unit, and the Life Flight helicopter responded.