Ski Patrol Hero Dies Of Heart Attack

The 64-year-old leader of the ski patrol that rescued four avalanche victims at Pebble Creek Ski Area has died of a heart attack.

Max Kirkland died Tuesday at Pocatello Regional Medical Center.

On Saturday, four Marsh Valleyarea teenagers skied out of bounds from the ski hill near Pocatello, triggering the snow slide. Kirkland and other patrollers helped dig them out. The four sustained some bumps and bruises.

Kirkland said the last time he found avalanche victims in that area, in 1967, they had died.

Kirkland was a maintenance employee at Idaho State University. He had been a ski patrol member for more than a quarter-century.

“We will miss Max very much,” said Mary Reichman, Pebble Creek manager. “He was a wonderful person and we are all very sad to lose him.”