Alberta sledders safe after getting lost in BC
Posted Jan 13, 2018 8:56 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A harrowing trip to the BC backcountry for three Alberta sledders has a fortunate ending.
The trio got lost on Boulder Mountain near Revelstoke, in the midst of a high avalanche risk.
One of the men, a 33-year-old, was found early Thursday evening, but dangerous conditions forced rescuers to put off looking for the other two until the morning.
They had to spend the night in the cold, but RCMP say they were spotted Friday morning and airlifted out due to medical concerns and the high risk of slides in the area.
A special public avalanche warning is covering most of BC’s interior including the South Rockies, Purcells, Kootenay-Boundary, Columbia and Glacier National Park.
Recent snowstorms have buried some weak snowpack up to a metre deep, and experts say the instability is at a critical point.
There’s been a few close calls over the last week, as well as a fatal avalanche north of Fernie on January 8th that claimed the life of an Alberta skier.
Even heavily tracked or low angle slopes, treed areas and places otherwise considered safe are at higher risk.
You can find a map of the affected areas at avalanche.ca, but it’s advised if you do not have the proper training to deal with the danger, it’s better to avoid the backcountry or hire a professional guide.
