2 Rescued After Fairy Lake Avalanche

Yes, there's still snow skiing in Montana.  Be careful out there!

From:  Gallatin County Sheriff's Office:

Two skiers out of four were transported to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital after an avalanche in the rock chutes above Fairy Lake Monday.  At about 4:00 p.m. Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was dispatched to the area of Fairy Lake for a reported avalanche.  One patient was in contact with his friend by text messaging, the friend called 911.  Resucers were dropped off initially by helicopter but had to traverse about 1/4 mile sking across steep snow slopes.  Rescuers reached the first patient who had a broken leg at about  5:20 p.m.  Rescuers discovered a second skier had sustained head injuries and was located high above them on the slope.  The first patient was put in a rescue tobogan and skied to a suitable landing zone below Fairy Lake where he was loaded in Summit Air Ambulance and transported to the hospital.  The second patient was lowered 500 feet using ropes to the bottom of the run out then flown by Carrish helicopters to a waiting AMR ambulance below Fairy Lake.

Sheriff Gootkin reminds backcountry users that avalanches are still possible becasue of the recent snow fall.  Be backcountry aware.  Ski avalanche terrain with caution and 1 at a time.