A 79-year-old skier who got lost in the Blacktail Mountain Ski Area in chilly Montana survived after spending the night inside a tree well.
The man, whose name was not released by authorities, had gone off-trail and became disoriented after attempting to ski down Emmon’s Run in the Blacktail Mountain Ski Area in Lakeside, Montana, on Feb. 17, according to a press release from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
The man ended up sleeping overnight in a tree well — the airy pocket that forms around a tree's trunk after its branches stop snow from building up around it — with temperatures dipping down to around 20 degrees. He told police he used pine boughs for warmth and was also able to build a small fire.
The man's friend reported missing around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 after he spotted the man at the top of Emmon’s Run and realized he never reached he bottom, the press release said.
Flathead Search and Rescue officers searched for the man on the ground until 1 a.m. Crew members in Two Bear Air Rescue choppers attempted a search from the sky, but were forced to turn back because of poor visibility.
When the helicopter pilots searched again the next day, they spotted the man signaling for help around 3 p.m.
The man was taken to Blacktail Lodge for a medical check, where he was cleared.
The man's rescue story comes the same month a 26-year-old snowboarder went missing in Vail, Colorado, and has yet to be found.
And earlier this month, a cell phone video captured the terrifying moment a skier became swept away by an avalanche in the French Alps. The skier was able to escape without serious injuries thanks to his airbag.
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