HUNGRY HORSE, Mont. - A 33-year-old Washington man was killed by an avalanche Monday afternoon that was triggered by the snowmobiles he and a companion were riding in the Lost Johnny area west of Hungry Horse Reservoir.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry identified the victim as Charles John Dundon III of Connell, Wash.

"One of them triggered the avalanche and he was caught up in that avalanche and buried," Curry said. "The second guy was swept down by the slide but he managed to stay on top of it and stay on the snowcat."

The slide occurred at 4 p.m. about five miles from the West Side Reservoir Road.

The surviving snowmobiler, also from Washington, was unable to locate Dundon, so he rode out to Hungry Horse and called 911 at 7:30 p.m.

About 30 people with North Valley Search and Rescue, the Sheriff's Office and the Flathead National Forest responded.

"We were able to reach the slide last night," Curry said. "The victim was located by the signal from his transceiver. He was deceased and his body was recovered last night."

The responders got out of the area at around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Because of the darkness, Curry said he couldn't describe the dimensions of the avalanche.

"I wouldn't call it a huge avalanche but it doesn't take a huge avalanche to bury someone," he said.

The Glacier Country Avalanche Center's current advisory rates the avalanche danger as "considerable" on steep, open terrain between 5,000 to 7,500 feet in Northwest Montana.

Natural avalanches are considered possible and human-triggered slides are probable.

"We're concerned that the potential for more human-caused slides still exists and we're urging people to exercise caution in the backcountry, especially with upcoming weather conditions," Curry said, adding that expected high winds will increase snow loading on leeward slopes.

Monday's accident was the second avalanche fatality in Northwest Montana this month.

On Feb. 1, Mark Albee, 42, of Bigfork died when a cornice collapsed underneath him on the Swan Crest, sweeping him to his death.