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WILDCAT LAKE- Flathead Valley family and friends are mourning the loss of a skier killed in Wednesday's tragic avalanche.

Thursday the body of 42 year old Mark Albee of Bigfork was found under 5 feet of snow at the bottom of a mountain.

Albee died of asphyxiation after falling over 800 feet from the top of the mountain to the bottom. Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry says it took rescuers until Thursday afternoon, because conditions were bad.

"Searchers had a hard time getting in there, we like to resolve these situations as quickly as possible, for the benefit of the family and the friends. And this one was tough. The weather conditions were bad, the snow conditions were bad, it was very hazardous and dangerous."

Curry says the skier and his brother Iain Albee were taking pictures on top of this slope, when the cornice broke, and the two brothers were on either side of the slide.

"Our back country skier was not actually on the slope when it slid, they were up on the cornice, or up on the ridge-top, so he traveled quite a ways down slope, they were well prepared, they were doing everything right, sometimes being prepared, is not all there is to it."

The slide happened right when a storm system moved into the Jewel Basin, and made conditions near impossible to get to the area. Sheriff Curry says in spite of the weather, they were going to find Mark Albee.

"We're glad we got it wrapped up, we're glad we were able to recover the body, and happy that none of the rescue workers got injured as well. These situations are always tragic, anytime someone loses their life, especially when they're outdoor recreating....it's a sad day."

Curry says you should always be prepared for an avalanche when in the backcountry and that you must be extra careful when recreating this year, due to the abnormal weather patterns.

Contact Dax VanFossen