PARK COUNTY, Mont. — Two Minnesota men have died after getting stuck in an avalanche in the mountains north of Yellowstone National Park.
Park County officials say a group of eight snowmobilers was riding near Scotch Bonnet Mountain north of Cooke City at mid-day Monday. One of the men got stuck on a southeast facing slope and another man was trying to help dig him out when the avalanche happened, burying the two riders.
The group used their rescue equipment and were able to find the men, but they were unable to revive them. By the time the sheriff's office Search and Rescue (SAR) team got to the scene, the men had died.
A coroner has identified the victims are 43-year-old Jesse Thelen of Paynesville, Minnesota, and 40-year-old Carl Thelen of St. Martin, Minnesota.
On Dec. 27, a SAR team was also called in when two snowmobilers, who were both also from Minnesota, were overdue for coming back to Cooke City, according to the Park County Sheriff's Office. The rescue team couldn't find them late Monday night but the snowmobilers from Minnesota were later found Tuesday after spending the night outside. Officials did not share any identifying information about the two Minnesotans that were found.
"Please remember to always check the avalanche report and assess current local conditions before riding in avalanche terrain," Park County Sheriff's Office Captain Tad Dykstra wrote in a Facebook post.
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