Missing skiers, 79, were found alive after spending the night in a tree well

A 79-year-old skier was found alive after spending the night in a tree well in Montana.

According to a press release From Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, 79-year-old male was reported around 16:30 on Monday 17 February, after a friend said he was last seen at the top of Emmon’s Run in the Blacktail Ski area and had never had the bottom.

That day, Blacktail Mountain Ski Area reported that the temperature in the area was about 17 degrees with “winds of 0-5 miles per hour and visibility of 500 meters due to continued snowfall.”

Due to the conditions, the Sheriff’s office urged help from the Flathead County Search and Rescue and Two Bear Air Rescue, who tried to fly over the ground but had to return due to poor visibility.

Two Bear Air Rescue quoted their creature “cloud and a low roof” that prevented them from reaching the search area in its News notice. Land search efforts continued until 1:00 before break to daylight.

The following morning, the clouds were cleared, which allowed two bear air rescue to return to the mountain with additional search and rescue teams with a focus on “possible areas outside the boundaries with mobile phone criminal techniques.”

About 15:00, two bear air rescue could discover the missing skier who signals for help.

“The skier had gone outside the trail and became disoriented,” said Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

The man had spent the night in a tree well, the “airy pocket formed around a tree trunk after its branches prevents snow from building up (it)” according to Today. For heat he used pine branches and made a small fire.

In a video with two bear air rescuers included in their news message, the man is seen in a helicopter in “Good condition.”

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The sheriff’s office said he then flew to Blacktail Lodge for a medical check, where he was cleared. His survival ability was credited as one of the reasons why he was found safe.