Officials are warning about dangerous avalanche conditions across B.C. and Alberta after a skier died in the Alberta Rockies near Canmore and a snowshoer was buried for nearly 20 minutes before being rescued just north of Vancouver.

Alberta

Officials have issued a warning about hazardous avalanche conditions throughout British Columbia (B.C.) and Alberta following a series of deadly incidents. A skier lost their life in an avalanche in the Alberta Rockies, near Canmore, highlighting the ongoing risk in the region. In a separate incident, a snowshoer was buried under an avalanche for almost 20 minutes north of Vancouver before being successfully rescued.

The tragic events underscore the dangers present in popular winter sports areas during periods of unstable snow conditions. Authorities in both B.C. and Alberta are urging outdoor enthusiasts to exercise extreme caution and to stay informed on current avalanche risks before venturing into the mountains.



Skier killed, another rescued from deadly Alberta avalanches

In Alberta's Rocky Mountains, two men were hit by an avalanche while backcountry skiing on Sunday. Only one was able to dig himself out. The body of a 19-year-old man from B.C. has now been recovered. It makes us think about things and certainly have a higher respect for the outdoor and what the environment can do for you and to you. On the same day, rescuer Jim Laurie expected the worst when a distress call came in from a man looking for his wife after an avalanche in the North Shore Mountains. Any avalanche call is quite serious. We fully expected by the time we got there that it was going to be a totally different outcome and we'd be looking for a body. The pair were snowshoeing when a slope gave way. The man eventually spotted the tip of his wife's snowshoe. When the husband dug his wife out, she was initially unconscious and quite blue because she wasn't getting enough oxygen. But she was breathing, fortunately, and a long time had passed. It had been easily probably 20 minutes, possibly more, that she was buried in the snow. It is a total miracle that she is alive. When rescuers arrived, they first warmed the woman up and then brought her down the mountain. She's recovering at home. In B.C.'s mountains, the risk of avalanches is high, especially on the coast. The lakes have been driven by large amounts of snowfall. Most areas had over a metre of snow on the weekend, causing dangerous conditions, and we're expecting another big snowfall on Monday night. He says people should stay out of the backcountry until conditions improve. All that snow comes after months of hardly any, so the temptation to get in the mountains is high in spite of the dangers. Georgie Smyth, CBC News, Vancouver.

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