Avalanche kills snowmobiler

COOKE CITY, Mont. – A snowmobiler was killed Friday in the second fatal avalanche in two days near this Yellowstone National Park gateway community, authorities said Saturday.

The man, from south-central Minnesota, was snowmobiling with two friends near Miller Mountain when the slide occurred shortly before 3 p.m., Park County Undersheriff Gary Tanascu said.

The group had gotten their snowmobiles stuck while trying to climb a steep grade in an area known as Sheep Basin Bowl, he said.

“When they were talking to each other, the victim saw the avalanche and told the other two snowmobilers there was an avalanche coming,” Tanascu said.

The two men were able to run to the side and grab hold of several small trees, he said.

The victim was caught in the slide and was buried under 7 feet of snow with his snowmobile, Tanascu said. It took rescuers more than 50 minutes to reach the man, who was wearing a transmitter.

His name is being withheld until his family can be notified.

The avalanche occurred about five miles from the spot where Loren Samuelson, 49, of Big Lake, Minn., died on Thursday.

He was snowmobiling with four friends in an area that had received about 8 feet of snow in the past week. Deputy Coroner Larry McKee said the group likely triggered the slide by climbing on a heavy load of snow.

Avalanche danger was rated moderate to considerable in the area Saturday, the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center said.