Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad teams concluded their recovery efforts Thursday for a Ketchikan man caught Sunday in an avalanche on Dude Mountain.
Alaska State Trooper James Kimura confirmed Thursday evening that the body of 39-year-old Marvin Scott has been recovered.
Jerry Kiffer of KVRS said earlier on Thursday that team members took advantage of a break in the weather to get back on the mountain. They were helicoptered to a spot above the avalanche debris field, and started digging test holes to determine the snowpack’s stability.
“The results from those pits were OK enough for us to proceed downhill toward the avalanche site,” he said.
On Thursday evening, Kiffer said the teams finished their work, hiked down the trail and were headed down Brown Mountain Road via snowmachine.
Kiffer added that KVRS appreciates the community’s support in this, and other search efforts.
“The situation obviously is a tragedy,” he said. “A lot of our (team members) were friends and acquaintances with the victim. It hits everybody really hard. As our people are out working in the field to get the job done, we really appreciate the community’s support with the operation.”
At about noon on Sunday, 39-year-old Marvin Scott was snowboarding on Dude Mountain with a friend when the avalanche was triggered. Scott was buried in the snow. The friend tried to dig Scott out, using Scott’s avalanche beacon as a guide, but wasn’t able to find him. Without cell phone coverage, the friend had to hike out before he could call for help.
It was too late on Sunday to launch a recovery effort. Teams tried on Monday, but bad weather forced them back down the mountain and kept them off until Thursday.
This report has been updated throughout.
