Four People Rescued From an Island on Montana’s Flathead Lake

Full disclosure: this is not a life or death tale of rescue on the high seas.

It does, however, serve as a reminder that the temptation to pursue favorite recreational adventures thanks to those first few days of mild spring weather in Montana still require you to exercise caution. Fortunately, other than being wet and cold, these people were in good shape when help arrived.

Lake County Search and Rescue tells us that four people were rescued from Flathead Lake's Wild Horse Island this past Sunday, March 8. The four had paddled a canoe and kayak to the island but were unable to return to mainland due to the wind and waves. They were able to make contact with emergency services who notified Search and Rescue.

A Search and Rescue boat launched from Big Arm. Three crew members work their way through the inclement weather, went ashore, found the people and hiked them back to a safer area to climb aboard the Search and Rescue boat. SAR reported that the four were wet and cold but otherwise in stable condition.

Treacherous storms can fire up quickly almost any time of year on Flathead Lake. What makes this time of year potentially a bit more dangerous for anglers and other recreational users is that Lake County Search and Rescue watercraft is not on the water until mid-to-late May depending on water levels. From garage to launch time, there can be up to a two-hour delay for a boat crew to assemble, plus transit time to a boat launch.

Happy that the early-season lake lovers are all okay.