MISSOULA — Crews rescued a man who was hurt while snow biking on Wednesday north of Seeley Lake.
The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office reports that Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue was called out shortly after 4 p.m. on a report of an injured snow biker.
The injured person, a 40-year-old man — along with two others — was located above Marshall Lake. LifeFlight was called out because of where the man was located but had to abort due to weather but was able to visually confirm their location.
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Jeanette Smith says that some area residents, who are also members of Scenic Montana Trails and Kra-Z’s Backcountry Guide Service “and are very familiar with Marshall Lake and the advanced riding level needed to access the area, began rescue efforts as Search and Rescue members mobilized.”
A news release notes that rescuers found the man shortly after 6 p.m. “and prepared him for transport and began the arduous return trip.” The man, whose injury was not life-threatening, was taken to a Missoula Emergency Services ambulance at approximately 8:30 p.m. and then was transported to an area hospital.
“Our Search and Rescue members are highly trained volunteers that give many hours of their time preparing for rescues such as this. We greatly appreciate their dedication and service,” the release states.
Members of Scenic Montanan Trails, Kra-Z’s Backcountry Guide Service, Missoula Emergency Services, the U.S. Forest Service, the Seeley Lake Fire Department, Dr. Michael Kremkau, Life Flight, and a Montana Army National Guard medevac team out of Helena all responded to the incident.
