Three Canmore residents were involved in a hectic weekend of death and injury in separate avalanches in the B.C. backcountry. An avalanche was triggered near Esplanade Mountain west of Golden, B.C., Sunday (Feb. 21), said Golden-Field RCMP.
Three Canmore residents were involved in a hectic weekend of death and injury in separate avalanches in the B.C. backcountry.
An avalanche was triggered near Esplanade Mountain west of Golden, B.C., Sunday (Feb. 21), said Golden-Field RCMP.
It was the second incident in the Golden area within 24 hours.
Police said on Sunday a group of 13 skiers in a guided tour were struck by an avalanche that was between a “size 2 and size 3” at about 11 a.m.
A 64-year-old Canmore man in “critical condition” was airlifted to Calgary Foothills hospital by STARS ambulance, according to RCMP.
A 58-year-old Calgary woman was also airlifted to Kamloops hospital with serious, but non-life threatening, injuries.
Two Canmore women, 62 and 53, were treated for minor injuries in Golden, along with a 59-year-old woman from West Vancouver and a 34-year-old man from Golden.
Golden and District Search and Rescue (GADSAR) flew into the area by helicopter to transport several patients back to the Golden hospital.
On Saturday (Feb. 20), a deadly avalanche struck a group of four snowmobilers just after 12 p.m.
A 30-year-old Calgary man was killed in Quartz Creek, a popular snowmobile area, about 40 kilometres northwest of Golden.
Golden-Field RCMP said a size three avalanche had been triggered.
Police responded to two people buried by avalanche debris after they received notification that an emergency GPS SPOT beacon had been activated in the popular snowmobiling area.
A 40-year-old man from Winnipeg was seriously hurt in the incident, but the injuries were non-life threatening and he was transported to a local hospital.
Two other males, from Calgary, were uninjured.
RCMP notified GADSAR, which flew into the area by helicopter to survey the scene. GADSAR then conducted the rescue of a 40-year-old male.
RCMP and emergency crews would like to remind backcountry enthusiasts to check current avalanche conditions through the Avalanche Canada's website: www.avalanche.ca.
The website also provides resources for training and avalanche awareness.
The Outlook will update when more information becomes available.
