Hiker dies in fall on Ahern Pass

A 67-year-old retired Great Falls neurologist died from a fall on Ahern Pass in Glacier National Park about 2 p.m. Saturday. Dr. William H. Labunetz had been hiking with four others and had climbed Iceberg North earlier in the day. Two of the party broke off, and the remaining three planned to use goat trails to climb down to Ptarmigan Tunnel and then return to Many Glacier campground, where they were staying.

Labunetz had climbed the Ahern Pass route before, and separated from the other two to take the route again. The other two, one of which was Labunetz's 38-year-old son, Chris Labunetz, chose a different route. The elder Labunetz was down-climbing on Ahern Pass near Helen Lake east of the Continental Divide, when he fell about 300 feet.

A group of hikers, including a Park employee, witnessed the fall. The employee made his way to the victim after sending the rest of the party to Granite Park Chalet to get help. While climbing to the victim, the employee spotted another Park employee, and yelled to him for help. The two made their way to Labunetz and found he had suffered major injuries, and the fall had been fatal. One employee stayed with Labunetz while the second hiked out. The employee encountered the other two people who had been hiking with Labunetz. After being informed of the incident, they made their way to the victim.

Saturday evening Labunetz, the other two hikers and some Park employees were transported from the scene of the incident by Minuteman Aviation of West Glacier.