Skier Killed in Avalanche on Cathedral Mountain Near Lake Louise, AB

A solo skier was found dead on B.C.’s Cathedral Mountain west of Lake Louise after an avalanche over the weekend, according to Avalanche Canada. The skier appeared to have veered off the peak’s shoulder on March 29, landing on Cathedral Glades, a slope at approximately 6,500 feet. The avalanche was a D2.5 size slide and partially buried the skier.

The victim was located from the air on April 1 due to a visible ski. Rescuers found a transceiver in the skier’s backpack, switched off, Calgary CTV News reports. The incident date was determined from a professional observation on March 30, estimating the avalanche to be 12 hours old.

Avalanche risk is currently ranked as “considerable” in alpine regions and “moderate” at treeline in the areas surrounding Cathedral Mountain. Additional snowfall is forecasted to impact the region this week which may increase avalanche risk in these areas.