ATWATER – The Montana snowmobile avalanche victim from Minnesota has been identified as Zach Joseph Junkermeier, 18, of Lake Lillian.
Junkermeier’s name was confirmed by family through the Peterson Brothers Funeral Home of Atwater.
He was a student at Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School in Grove City.
The snowmobiler died Tuesday of injuries suffered in an avalanche near Crown Butte, according to the Park County Sheriff’s Office of Livingston, Mont.
Junkermeier was snowmobiling with a party of six, when he was swept away in a large avalanche just before 4 p.m. MDT Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s department.
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The snowmobiler was located about 5:10 p.m. near the toe of the debris field, about 6 feet below the surface, according sheriff’s department. Rescuers performed CPR on the victim, but were unable to revive him. He was not wearing a rescue beacon.
This avalanche appears to have been remotely triggered and started near the peak of Crown Butte, according to the sheriff’s department. Officials consider this a large avalanche and estimate its dimensions to be 500 feet wide, 600 feet long and 20 feet deep in areas.
Funeral arrangements are pending with Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.
