Maryland man dies after Glacier Park crevasse fall

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK — One of the park's most popular glaciers turned deadly for a Maryland man Tuesday afternoon.

Howard Frederick Cohn, 47, of Columbia, died as a result of a 40-foot fall into a crevasse on Grinnell Glacier, according to Flathead County Deputy Coroner Jim Browder.

Cohn hiked out onto the glacier while a friend waited at the trailhead. The friend, whose name was not immediately available, waited about 30 minutes and then went out onto the ice to look for Cohn when he failed to return.

While on the glacier, the friend heard Cohn call for help from the crevasse. The friend summoned help and a rescue team from Many Glacier responded.

Cohn apparently slipped and fell into the 40-foot crevasse, becoming lodged at the bottom.

When the rescue team arrived, they worked several hours to retrieve Cohn. CPR was started immediately after he was extricated from the crevasse at about 8 p.m.

The ALERT helicopter was dispatched and flew to the site to fly Cohn to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, but he died a short time later.

Grinnell Glacier is a very popular destination in Glacier. It's about six miles from the Many Glacier Hotel and an even shorter hike if one takes a shuttle by boat deeper into the Grinnell Valley.

As a result, thousands of hikers visit it annually.

Cohn's death is the first in the park this year.

According to park records, Cohn's is the ninth glacier-related death in the park since the park officially began keeping records in 1913.