Saturday, November 16, 2024
28.0°F

2 die in separate incidents at Whitefish resort

Caleb Soptelean | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 13 years, 10 months AGO
by Caleb SopteleanShelley Ridenour
| January 10, 2011 1:00 AM

A tree well claimed a 29-year-old victim in a snowboarding accident Saturday evening, and a 68-year-old man died on the slopes Saturday afternoon.

Kalispell resident Scott Allen Meyer, 29, died after snowboarding on Big Mountain in Whitefish.

Meyer was last seen alive around 1:30 p.m. He was reportedly snowboarding alone. When he failed to meet friends, as had been planned, and it became dark, people became worried because “that wasn't like him,” Sheriff Chuck Curry said.

Big Mountain Ski Patrol contacted the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office to request search and rescue efforts shortly after 5:30 p.m. Meyer was found at 7:30 p.m., a sheriff’s office press release said.

Meyer was not breathing when he was found in a tree well, an area at the base of a tree that usually has deeper snow than the surrounding area.

Resuscitation efforts were begun, but Meyer was pronounced dead at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Initial findings revealed that Meyer was wearing appropriate safety equipment, the press release said.

Meyer worked as a probation and parole officer for the state of Montana.

The 68-year-old man was found by Whitefish Mountain employees in the middle of Ed’s Run at 12:55 p.m. Saturday, according to Whitefish Mountain Resort media relations representative Donnie Clapp.

The man was far from trees and had no signs of physical injury. He had a faint pulse. Employees tried to resuscitate the man, who was transported to North Valley Hospital.

Curry said the man died of an apparent heart attack. The man’s identity was not released.

ARTICLES BY SHELLEY RIDENOUR

July 29, 2012 8:40 a.m.

County planning for new building at fairgrounds

Flathead County officials may soon proceed with construction of a new building at the county fairgrounds to house the offices of Montana State University extension agents and the Agency on Aging.

Cherry harvest off to sweet start
July 25, 2012 10:02 p.m.

Cherry harvest off to sweet start

Gigantic, sweet red cherries are starting to come off trees around Flathead Lake as the annual cherry harvest gets under way.

July 25, 2012 7:22 a.m.

Planning Office shortens review times

The turnaround time for processing most applications submitted to the Flathead County Planning Office has been shortened by 15 days, county Planning Director BJ Grieve said.