Snowmobilers, lost snowboarder found safe Monday night

Searches for a snowboarder lost on Big Mountain and two snowmobilers stuck on the east side of Hungry Horse Reservoir overlapped Monday night.

An alleged interloper and difficult access on the mountain complicated the rescues, according to sheriff's deputy Tom Snyder, coordinator of the search-and-rescue teams.

At about 5 p.m., a 60-year-old New York man reportedly got separated from his friends snowboarding on Big Mountain. Flathead Search and Rescue was called out.

ALERT helicopter from Kalispell Regional Medical Center quickly found the man, far out of bounds on Taylor Creek Road.

"Everybody was scratching their heads, trying to figure out how he got there," Snyder said. The next question was how to extricate him.

The slope was too steep for groomers or snowmobiles, he said.

Nordic Ski Patrol went to the summit and then skied down to the man.

"He had a good attitude, considering he was all by himself and it was very dark and he had been there for quite awhile," Snyder said.

Ski patrollers, lead by Rusty Wells, took warm fluids down to the man and then strapped him into snowshoes for the trek out. That took about two hours, Snyder said.

The skiers connected the man with Flathead Search and Rescue team members, who gave him a snowmobile ride down the other side of the mountain to a parking lot. He was home by about 2:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, two women in their 40s were stuck on Desert Mountain. They called their landlord on a cell phone to report their problem, but the call disconnected and service wasn't restored before they could say where they were.

Snyder said ALERT tried to locate the snowmobiling women, but couldn't. North Valley Search and Rescue was called.

The rescue was complicated by a man who called to say the women were fine and to call off the search. Snyder said it wasn't clear whether everyone was all right or whether the man was also lost. Eventually, everyone was located safely.

Snyder applauded rescuers' work, including that of Jason Smith, search leader for Flathead Search and Rescue, Wells, and Ken Vanderhorst, who led North Valley Search and Rescue's effort.

He also was very grateful to the owner of Big Drift Coffeehouse on Big Mountain. She gave rescuers and the lost snowboarder hot soup and coffee and stayed open until about 4 a.m., when the search ended.

Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com