JACKSON, Wyoming (AP) — Authorities have determined that the unusual snowmobile wreck in northwest Wyoming that killed a 33-year-old North Dakota man was an accident.

Andrew Grossnickle, of West Fargo, died Dec. 30 after becoming separated from his snow machine. A preliminary autopsy determined that Grossnickle died from blunt force trauma to the left chest.

The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports that investigators were perplexed initially because the snowmobile was not damaged.

Typically, fatal snowmobile accidents involve the machine crashing into a tree or rolling over the victim.

But Teton County Sheriff’s Lt. Slade Ross says it appears that Grossnickle fell off the machine or contacted a tree while hanging off the snowmobile.

Grossnickle was among a group of eight friends but no one saw the accident.

KETCHUM, Idaho (AP) — One dog has died and another is injured after they were apparently attacked by a mountain lion in a subdivision south of Ketchum.

Wildlife officials trapped and released the mountain lion in a remote area after the Thursday attacks, The Idaho Mountain Express reported (http://bit.ly/2htf4pG).

A female Australian shepherd, named Pepper, died from its wounds after the attack in the Gimlet neighborhood and a male yellow Labrador retriever, named Barkley, is recuperating.

The Labrador’s owners, Jan and Ed Cummins, say their dog was attacked after going outside Thursday morning. The couple said when their dog didn’t return after about 20 minutes, Ed Cummins blew a high-pitched whistle and Barkley came running. The dog didn’t stop at the door but raced inside the house and hid. He was bleeding from puncture wounds on his neck and face.

Barkley’s wounds had to be drained and partially stitched and he spent the night at a veterinary hospital.

“Barkley is doing OK. He is happy to be home and wagging his tail,” Ed Cummins said.

Pepper’s owner Erin Pfaeffle wasn’t as lucky. She said Pepper went outside a few hours after Barkley and didn’t return home. When Pfaeffle went to look for her dog, she found Pepper’s body in her garage. She said it appears someone brought the dog’s body home because judging by the dog’s injuries, Pepper did not likely make her way to the garage on her own.

“She was mauled really badly,” Pfaeffle said. “But we’re grateful that someone brought her home to us.”

Idaho Department of Fish and Game spokesman Kelton Hatch said the department set up a baited cage trap near the site Thursday night and caught a cougar hours later. The lion was released Friday south of Twin Falls. Hatch said mountain lions in the area are common and advised people not feed pets outside, as the food can attract other wildlife.

“I don’t think there’s any reason for people to panic,” he said. “They need to be aware, but I wouldn’t change my activities.”

___

Information from: Idaho Mountain Express, http://www.mtexpress.com

RICHLAND, Ore. (AP) — Officials say dozens of elk are dead after the herd fell through the ice at a reservoir in eastern Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a Facebook post that 41 elk died Tuesday on the Powder River arm of Brownlee Reservoir.

The Baker City Herald reports someone who lives near the reservoir called to report the incident. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Biologist Brian Ratliff told the newspaper the elk were trying to cross the reservoir from the north side when the ice broke in four places.

Officials drove to the area to see if it was possible to save any of the elk or salvage meat, but Ratliff said neither option was possible.

The reservoir is about 260 miles east of Portland.

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Teton County Search and Rescue has narrowed its search for a missing snowboarder to an avalanche-prone snowfield behind Grand Targhee Resort.

The search area for Lee Kidd of Driggs, Idaho, was narrowed after talking with witnesses who may have seen Kidd, 34, on Friday before he went missing, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reports.

“Our deputies conducted extensive interviews and investigations and the conclusion is that we are looking for him in the Grand Targhee area,” sheriff’s Sgt. Matt Carr said.

Kidd’s season pass was last scanned at 10:45 a.m. Friday when he boarded a lift. He had mentioned to friends that he wanted to explore the backcountry, but he left his transceiver, shovel and other backcountry equipment at home, along with his cellphone, Carr said.

He was reported missing Friday afternoon when he failed to show up for work at one of the resort’s kitchens.

The search has been challenging and expansive, officials said.

“This is truly a needle in a haystack scenario,” Carr said. “There is a ton of area back there.”

A foot of snow and high winds have covered any tracks, and stormy weather limited a helicopter search to about an hour Saturday. The snowfield that rescuers are focusing on has a large cornice prone to avalanche and a 500-foot cliff. Teams were unable to search the area thoroughly Monday.

Teams planned to search again Tuesday, Carr said.

“We have dogs available,” Carr said. “They would be our first line of use (on the ground) if we could bring them in safely.”

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana water and sewer district contends Yellowstone National Park officials are dragging their feet on fixing a problem with arsenic infiltrating its sewage treatment system.

The Gardiner-Park County Water and Sewer District has filed a lawsuit against the National Park Service, Yellowstone and others. The suit was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Billings.

The Billings Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/2hPB9zs ) that the Montana district accuses the Park Service of negligence, creating public and private nuisances, breach of contract and trespass.

The Gardiner-Park County district borders Yellowstone and treats sewage that originates in the north part of the park.

The case is assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan.

Yellowstone spokeswoman Morgan Warthin says the U.S. Department of the Interior is reviewing the lawsuit.

___

Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming officials say skiers will not be criminally prosecuted in connection with an avalanche on Teton Pass.

The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports (http://bit.ly/2hTR2De ) that there was initial suspicion that skiers were responsible for the large avalanche that on Thursday hit a vehicle and closed a highway to thousands of commuters.

In a press release, Teton County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Todd Stanyon says there was insufficient evidence to back up that theory. He says a skier could be prosecuted if police could show that he or she had a reckless disregard for other people, such as by skiing in an avalanche path when the risk is high.

Police save five of eight backcountry skiers were identified and interviewed.

___

Information from: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com

JACKSON, Wyoming (AP) — The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center says outdoor recreationists reported triggering 10 avalanches over the weekend.

Avalanche forecaster Bob Comey tells the Jackson Hole News and Guide that five people were caught in snow slides but none were injured.

Up to 30 inches of snow fell in some places on Saturday and accompanying winds created dangerous conditions.

Skiers triggered seven of the slides. A group of three skiers were caught in an avalanche near Togwotee Pass. Two were able to dig themselves out and they were able to dig out the third person, who was buried up to his neck.

Comey says two snowboarders were caught in a slide on the south side of Teton Pass. One was completely buried.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort reported three skier-caused avalanches. The resort intentionally set off nearly 60 slides over the weekend.

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — An avalanche in southwestern Montana killed a skier over the weekend.

Park County Sheriff Scott Hamilton says 55-year-old Christopher Peterson of Ketchum, Idaho, died. He was skiing with six other people Sunday when the slide buried him in 5 feet of snow near the base of a tree.

Hamilton says probes and an avalanche transceiver helped find Peterson and the other skiers dug him out within 15 to 20 minutes, but he couldn’t be resuscitated.

The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center says the slide happened on Henderson Mountain outside Cooke City. The avalanche was about 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican, has introduced a bill that would protect the state’s portion of the craggy, scenic Scotchman Peaks.

Risch’s proposed legislation would designate about 14,000 acres as a federal wilderness area, limiting development to preserve the land’s natural character and ecological function, The Spokesman-Review reported (http://bit.ly/2hnhsiZ ).

The proposed wilderness area includes the 7,009-foot Scotchman Peak, which is home to mountain goats, a popular hiking trail and a summit overlooking the Clark Fork River delta. The entire Scotchman Peaks region is about 88,000 acres and includes federal land in Montana that would require separate legislation for protection.

Risch said he plans to hold hearings on the legislation next year.

The proposal “would allow future generations of Idahoans to enjoy Scotchman Peaks, while at the same time protecting the needs and rights of local communities and tribes,” the senator said in a statement.

The Sandpoint-based nonprofit Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness was formed to generate support for the wilderness designation in 2005. It praised Risch for introducing the bill.

The Bonner County Board of Commissioners, the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and Idaho Forest Group, which operates sawmills in North Idaho, also support the designation.

“Anyone who has hiked to the top of the peak understands the majesty of the area and the importance of preserving it,” said Cary Kelly, chairman of the Bonner County board.

___

Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com