YOHO NATIONAL PARK – A class 3 avalanche in Yoho National Park earlier this week has left one ski mountaineer dead.
According to Avalanche Canada, the incident occurred when a party of five, after approaching on skis, was ascending the southeast ridge of 3,166-metre Mount Des Poilus on foot on Wednesday (April 13).
One person was ahead of the group at the summit when a cornice collapsed.
“The cornice failure is estimated to be 60-80m wide and it triggered a slab avalanche on the very steep face below,” according to Avalanche Canada’s incident report.
“The person fell with the cornice, was carried down the steep NE face, and was partially buried in the cornice and avalanche debris on the glacier below.”
There is no other information at this stage.
Mount Des Poilus is approximately 35 kilometres northwest of Lake Louise.
The Outlook will update when more information is available.
