It was just one week ago that three Idahoans were killed in an avalanche.
And some more bad news, when yesterday a Ketchum woman died in an avalanche and another a man was critically injured 25 miles north of Ketchum.
Early Friday afternoon - Blaine County dispatch received a 911 call from Galena Lodge about two possible injured skiers.
Experts say an Avalanche occurred and two of the four skiers in the group were buried in its tracks.
Mike Elle says, “They were an expert group of backcountry skiers. They were well-prepared for this situation they were in. it was considerable avalanche danger yesterday form the Sawtooth Avalanche Center which is here locally and does surveys up there.”
The avalanche happened just behind me on the west side of gladiator peak at 9,000 to 8,500 ft.
It was one thousand feet wide and five hundred vertical feet.
Elle says, “This year there are some tricky conditions in the snow, in the deep layer, that may have contributed to the slide. It ran through trees so the 2 people were caught were drug through the trees which probably contributed to their significant injuries.”
53-year old Stella Keane did not survive the avalanche although Mike Elle says based on witness reports -- she was unburied within three minutes.
The other skier who sustained a broken leg - was in critical condition and had some exposure injuries.
Four fire crews - Blaine County Search and Rescue - the Sun Valley heli-ski and forest service assisted in the search.
He says they had various communication issues and also the helicopter was unable to land close to scene.
Elle says, “The patients both had to be packaged in the snow in avalanche terrain to the helicopter. They were not able to land very close. That amount of time taken in that move took quite awhile.”
A full report on this avalanche should be released in the next few days.