Avalanche claims life of Washington snowmobiler

A 33-year-old Washington man was killed Monday afternoon by an avalanche triggered by the snowmobiles he and a companion were riding in the Lost Johnny area west of Hungry Horse Reservoir.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry identified the victim as Charles John Dundon III of Connell, Wash.

"One of them triggered the avalanche and he was caught up in that avalanche and buried," Curry said. "The second guy was swept down by the slide but he managed to stay on top of it and stay on the snowcat."

The slide occurred at around 4 p.m. about five miles from the West Side Reservoir Road in the Swan Mountain Range.

The surviving snowmobiler, also from Washington, was unable to locate Dundon, so he rode out to Hungry Horse and called 911 at around 7:30 p.m.

About 30 people with North Valley Search and Rescue, the Sheriff's Office and the Flathead National Forest responded and found Dundon buried under about five feet of snow.

"We were able to reach the slide last night," Curry said Tuesday morning. "The victim was located by the signal from his transceiver. He was deceased and his body was recovered last night."

The responders got out of the area at around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Because of the darkness, Curry said he couldn't describe the dimensions of the avalanche.

"I wouldn't call it a huge avalanche, but it doesn't take a huge avalanche to bury someone," he said.

Flathead National Forest personnel were returning to the area Tuesday to investigate the slide zone.

The Glacier Country Avalanche Center's current advisory rates the avalanche danger as "considerable" on steep, open terrain between 5,000 and 7,500 feet in Northwest Montana.

Natural avalanches are considered possible and human-triggered slides are probable.

"We're concerned that the potential for more human-caused slides still exists and we're urging people to exercise caution in the backcountry, especially with upcoming weather conditions," Curry said, adding that expected high winds will increase snow loading on leeward slopes.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning today for mountainous areas above 5,000 feet.

As much as 10 to 12 inches of snow are expected over Marias Pass with 15 inches over higher terrain, accompanied by winds of 25 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph.

"Travel conditions are expected to become extremely hazardous on Wednesday," the Weather Service alert states.

At lower elevations, rain and snow showers are predicted today, with the snow level lowering to 3,000 feet.

In the Flathead Valley, winds of 20 to 30 mph gusting to 44 mph are forecast.

Monday's accident was the second avalanche fatality in Northwest Montana this month.

On Feb. 1, Mark Albee, 42, of Bigfork died when a cornice collapsed underneath him on the Swan Crest, sweeping him to his death.

Albee and his brother, Iain, were skiing on a ridge between Wildcat Lake and Twin Lakes - about four miles southeast of Monday's avalanche - when a 140-foot-long piece of the cornice broke off and spawned an avalanche that carried Albee 500 feet.

The total vertical fall for the avalanche was 780 feet, and it was 1,100 feet wide at its base.

A report on the Feb. 1 avalanche recently issued by the Glacier Country Avalanche Center said the cornice that collapsed probably weighed at least 35 tons.

The avalanche was large enough that it "could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood-frame house or break a few trees," according to the report by Stan Bones, a Flathead National Forest avalanche expert.

Iain Albee was not caught in the slide.

Iain later told investigators that he and his brother had just started on their return trip "when he heard a pop, saw the snow crack and felt the snow settle under his skis, rocking him back on his heels. Glancing backwards to his right he saw the ridge snow breaking into blocks and the tails of his skis hanging off in air. Turning then looking back to his left where Mark should have been, he saw nothing."

Iain determined that a direct descent of the slope would not be safe, so he took a southerly route to make a safer descent to get to the base of the avalanche debris. He did so after 40 minutes, conducting a beacon search that yielded no results.

He returned to his vehicle on the west approach to Jewel Basin and called for help.

So far this winter, five people have died in avalanches in Montana.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.