"Rides" Avalanche, Killed

1914

Rancher Thought It Great Sport to Slide Down Mountain Side on Mass of Snow

Jackson, Wyo., Feb. 7. — That "Windy" Hickman, a rancher, of the Jackson's Hole district, was killed while trying to "ride an avalanche," was the word brought here by James Fitzmeier. Fitzmeier himself was buried, but escaped alive after digging himself out of the snow.

The two men were on the Conant trail when the snow slide struck, carrying them down a mountain side. Hickman was delighted and shouted a suggestion that they "ride her; it's great sport!"

"Hickman was shouting and laughing like a schoolboy as the avalanche swept him down," said Fitzmeier. "He seemed to regard the experience as a lark. When I went under he was about 15 feet ahead of me, balancing himself on one leg."