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Wyoming's Conservation Fund Director Killed In Avalanche

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The director of the Wyoming’s chapter of the Conservation Fund, Luke Lynch, was killed in an avalanche on Sunday. Lynch and three others had ascended Mount Moran in Grand Teton National Park when a wet slab swept them off the mountain. One other man was seriously injured but two others survived to make a rescue call.

Park spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs says it was the accumulation of fresh snow on top of winter snowpack that created the dangerous conditions.

“This time of year, there’s a possibility for these type of wet avalanches,” Skaggs says. “And that even though the slides can be shallow and seemingly benign, they can also have the potential because of their weight and their force of sweeping people off their feet and then, of course, carrying them over hazardous terrain.”

Skaggs says spring avalanches like this are normal and outdoor enthusiasts should still check avalanche conditions at the Jackson Hole Avalanche Center before setting out. 

Melodie Edwards is the host and producer of WPM's award-winning podcast The Modern West. Her Ghost Town(ing) series looks at rural despair and resilience through the lens of her hometown of Walden, Colorado. She has been a radio reporter at WPM since 2013, covering topics from wildlife to Native American issues to agriculture.
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