Skier taps into survival skills after getting lost on Blacktail Mountain
A pair of skiers take a run down the Meadow Trail at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake file)
A lost skier was rescued from an out-of-bounds area near Blacktail Mountain Ski Area on Tuesday afternoon after taking shelter overnight in a tree well.
The Two Bear Air search and rescue helicopter spotted the 79-year-old man Feb. 18 at about 3 p.m. and hoisted him to safety, according to the Flathead County Sheriff's Office.
The man had gone missing the day prior after he became disoriented and skied off trail at the ski area above Lakeside. He took refuge overnight in a tree well and was able to start a fire and use pine tree boughs for warmth.
"Thanks to his survival efforts and the dedicated search teams, he was found safe," the Sheriff's Office stated.
A friend he was skiing with first reported him missing Monday, Feb. 17 at around 4:30 p.m. after last seeing him at the top of Emmon's Run. Blacktail Ski Patrol contacted the Sheriff's Office for assistance, and Two Bear Air and Flathead Search and Rescue were called to the scene.
The helicopter was not able to fly Monday night due to poor visibility, but a ground search was conducted through 1 a.m. before stopping until daylight.
Two Bear Air used data from the man's cellphone to search an out-of-bounds area where they spotted him signaling for help.
North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol, Big Mountain Ski Patrol and Blacktail Mountain Ski Area, Two Bear Air and Flathead County Search and Rescue assisted in the search effort.