Man Survives Nearly 50-Foot Fall

SEELEY LAKE – A 31-year-old man from Three Forks, Mont. fell between 40-50 feet while attempting to climb Morrell Falls July 2. He was taken by air to Missoula and considered in serious condition.

The call came into 911 Dispatch just before 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Witnesses told Missoula County Sheriff's Sergeant Bob Parcell that the man was climbing barefoot on the slippery wet rocks of Morrell Falls. He lost his footing and tumbled down head first, hitting his head and feet multiple times before landing in the water.

According to Seeley Lake Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel bystanders pulled him out of the water using a hammock, preventing hypothermia. A couple nurses, who happened to be at the falls, rendered aid until emergency responders arrived. The man had several lacerations to his head and broken bones but was conscious.

"There was just a herd of people up there," said Parcell. "There must have been 30-50 people on the scene."

Volunteer medical personnel along with Deputy Mike Sunderland hiked in to the injured man. Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue followed on a four-wheeler with an inline stretcher in case ground transport was needed.

Life Flight was requested but since they were unsure of their ability to land, they requested Two Bear Air, a rescue helicopter out of Kalispell.

"I concurred with that as the Sheriff's Office and Two Bear Air was coming our way," said Parcell.

Life Flight was able to land at the north end of the lake just before the falls. The patient was carried to the helicopter and loaded. Two Bear Air arrived just prior to the patient being transported and hovered in case they were needed. They never landed.

"He was doing things that he shouldn't have been doing. He had no shoes on the slippery rocks and the wet surface and he lost his footing and come tumbling down," said Parcell. "The hardest thing was so many people and they had everything jammed up. We couldn't get emergency services in. Once we got that sorted out, everything worked great."

Vanden Heuvel added, "It was just a very good collaborative effort between the public doing the right things, off duty medical people taking action along with Seeley [volunteers], SAR and Life Flight."