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Avalanche Danger High Around Western And Central Montana

Flathead-area avalanche danger map for February 8. 2021.
Flathead Avalanche Center

The Flathead Avalanche Center announced Saturday that an avalanche in the Swan range killed one snowmobiler and partially buried three others.

High avalanche danger continues in the backcountry around western and central Montana.

The Associated Press reports that the Flathead County Sheriff’s office has identified the victim as 59-year-old David Cano of Kalispell. Cano’s body was recovered via helicopter Sunday.

The Flathead Avalanche Center has extended its warning issued Friday for the Swan, Whitefish and Flathead mountain ranges through Tuesday, saying travel through avalanche terrain is not advised and there are very dangerous avalanche conditions. 

The Missoula Avalanche Center canceled its avalanche warning Monday, but says the danger in the West-Central Montana backcountry remains high and considerable. The Gallatin National Forest says the danger near Bozeman is high on wind-loaded slopes and considerable on all other steep terrain. Several natural and human-caused avalanches have been observed over the past four days. The risk could last for days.

Aaron graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism in 2015 after interning at Minnesota Public Radio. He landed his first reporting gig in Wrangell, Alaska where he enjoyed the remote Alaskan lifestyle and eventually moved back to the road system as the KBBI News Director in Homer, Alaska. He joined the MTPR team in 2019. Aaron now reports on all things in northwest Montana and statewide health care.
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