CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

2014/02/22 - Montana - Troy, West Cabinet Mountain Range

Published 2014/02/24 by Ethan Greene - Forecaster, CAIC

Avalanche Details

  • Location: Troy, West Cabinet Mountain Range
  • State: Montana
  • Date: 2014/02/22 (Estimated)
  • Summary Description: 2 snowmobilers caught, 1 partly buried and 1 buried and killed
  • Primary Activity: Snowmobiler
  • Primary Travel Mode: Snowmobile

Number

  • Caught: 2
  • Fully Buried: 1
  • Injured: 0
  • Killed: 1

Avalanche

  • Type: SS
  • Trigger: AM - Snowmobile
  • Trigger (subcode): --
  • Size - Relative to Path: --
  • Size - Destructive Force: --
  • Sliding Surface: O - Within Old Snow

Site

  • Slope Aspect: --
  • Site Elevation: --
  • Slope Angle: --
  • Slope Characteristic: --

Accident Summary

From the Flathead Avalanche Center:

We have received preliminary information of an avalanche fatality in the West Cabinets this afternoon.

The fatality occurred at approximately 115 PM 2/22/2014 in the West Cabinet Range near Savage Mountain and the Idaho/Montana Border.  Approximately 15 miles SW of Troy.  The incident occurred within the Kootenai National Forest advisory area.

Out of a group of four snowmobilers, two were caught and buried by an avalanche.  One was buried with only his face exposed and was dug out with no injuries.  The other was fully buried and resulted in a fatality.  Preliminary reports classify the avalanche:  SS-AMr-D3-R4-O.  Soft Slab-Snowmobile triggered remotely-Could bury or destroy a car-large relative to the path-Released within old snow.

Media Reports:

Western News