Snowmachiner dies at Lake Louise

A 63-year-old man died Wednesday when the snowmachine he was riding plunged through the ice on Lake Louise.

Thomas Graham of Lake Louise was pronounced dead at Wolverine Lodge, where rescuers took him for resuscitation efforts. The incident occurred at 3 p.m. on the lake near the end of Lake Louise Road.

Graham's accident was reported to 911 by John Hicks of Lake Louise, who met Graham for the first time earlier Wednesday at the home of a mutual friend. Graham said he was going to check his mailbox and then do some snowmachining on the lake, saying he would stay close to the shore for safety, Hicks said.

A couple of hours later, Hicks rode his four-wheeler past the lake and saw a gas can, helmet and gloves on top of the ice about 30 feet from the shore.

"At that particular spot the lake drops 15 feet straight down," Hicks said. "When I saw it I tied a rope onto my fourwheeler and went out there. I broke through the ice but couldn't touch the bottom so I pulled myself back in."

After calling 911, Hicks called Wolverine Lodge for help. A man brought his boat to the lake, and went to the spot where Graham had fallen. He used a hooked piece of rebar tied to a rope to pull up the body, Hicks said.

Hicks estimated Graham had been in the water two and a half hours, judging from what Graham told him at their friend's house about his plans for the afternoon. Graham had lived in Alaska all his life, Hicks said.

"He knows what it's about. Something like this will open your eyes right up and let you know that this land is unforgiving."

Graham's beagle was with him and also died in the plunge.

Alaska State Trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson said a similar accident at Lake Louise a couple of years ago also marked the first snowmachine death of the season in Southcentral Alaska.