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Gallatin County Search And Rescue Volunteer Dies In Rock Climbing Accident

Travis Swanson
Courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff's Office
Travis Swanson

A member of the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office search and rescue team died Sunday during a rock climbing accident.

Sheriff's officials say 33-year-old Travis Swanson of Bozeman was rock climbing on Mount Cowen in Park County with fellow search and rescue team members Jackson Negri and Will Hitchcock. A rock fall swept both Swanson and Hitchcock down the slope. 

Negri contacted Park and Gallatin county authorities, who rescued Hitchcock and recovered Swanson's body in what officials described as a complex alpine rescue with multiple helicopters and search and rescue teams. Hitchcock is in stable condition in a Billings hospital.

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin says Swanson’s colleagues and family all said he was a good friend and salt-of-the-earth man. 

“You know, obviously, it’s just sad, and everyone’s hurting,” says Gootkin.

The county has around 150 volunteer search and rescue members, which Gootkin says is one of the highest in the Northwest. Swanson was a volunteer for 12 years with one of the alpine and helicopter teams. 

“We’re making sure to get everybody anything they need, if they need to talk to someone, whatever they need. We’re going to keep an eye on them, and we’re not just talking about the immediate couple of days because these things take a while,” says Gootkin.

Gootkin says they haven’t lost a search and rescue member during his time as sheriff. In 2013, Sheriff’s deputy John “Amos” Ridenour died while rock climbing with his son in Hyalite Canyon 10 miles south of Bozeman.