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           Four men are trapped atop Sharatin Mountain on Kodiak Island, pinned down by high winds and blizzard conditions. As of this afternoon, weather conditions were preventing a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Kodiak from responding. Petty Officer Walter Shinn said winds are gusting to 50 miles per hour, and visibility on the mountain is too low for a rescue attempt.

             The men were dropped off with a week of supplies in good weather Sunday to continue work on the tower, which had been halted with the onset of winter. During the night, high winds reportedly blew away one tent and some of the supplies.

             Ebell says the four men are now back together, after three were separated during the night. The three reportedly hunkered down in a snow cave on the leeward side of the mountain, about 10 miles west of Kodiak City.

             One member of the group called the Coast Guard at about 5 a.m. on a satellite phone, reporting he was in good condition. The other three called at 7:45 on VHF radio reporting mild frostbite and hypothermia symptoms.

            Ebell says if weather conditions improve, a contract helicopter will pick them up on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Shinn says the Coast Guard will launch sooner if conditions permit. Shinn said the Alaska State Troopers are planning to send a ground party up the mountain, which Ebell confirmed.

Ed Shoenfeld/CoastAlaska

           The ferry system’s oversight panel is heading north to consider problems out west. The Marine Transportation Advisory Board will meet today at the Millennium Hotel in Anchorage. It’s the group’s first-ever meeting in Alaska’s largest city. Ferry system chief Jim Beedle says the board will hear from the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference. The regional economic-development group is unhappy about sparse sailings in the region.

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           Kodiak Island Borough Mayor Jerome Selby appointed various assembly representatives to boards and committees at the assembly's most recent regular meeting. Mayoral and assembly appointments to boards, committees and commissions were also issued to volunteer, non-assembly members.

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    Kodiak High School senior Trevor Dunbar will be running in the national cross country championships. He won a birth by placing third at the Foot Locker Western Region championships in Walnut, California, over the weekend.
    Dunbar was leading the race with 800 yards to go, before being passed on a downhill and finishing third, with a time of 15-minutes 43-seconds. The winner was five seconds ahead of him, and the runner-up was just a second in front.
    Kodiak's Sam Salus was 42nd, not more than a minute behind.
    Dunbar will remain in the Lower 48 this week before competing in the national championships in San Diego on Saturday.