Avalanche
A 46-year-old man from Magrath, Alberta, was killed in an avalanche while snowmobiling in the backcountry near Castle Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday, February 24.
According to a news release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the incident occurred in the Crowsnest Pass region around 1:00 p.m. when two men and two children were snowmobiling. One of the men managed to escape the slide, safely evacuating both children. However, the second man was engulfed and buried beneath the snow.
Pincher Creek RCMP, aided by Southwestern Alberta Regional Search and Rescue K9 teams, alongside handlers from Fernie Search and Rescue and Alberta Conservation authorities, conducted an extensive search operation. Tragically, the man’s body was recovered on Sunday afternoon.
The victim, whose identity has been withheld by authorities, has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for further examination.
Castle Mountain Ski Resort, located in the Westcastle Valley, sits approximately 170 miles (270 km) from Calgary, 90 miles (140 km) from Lethbridge, and 30 miles (50 km) west of Pincher Creek.
Avalanche Canada has designated the avalanche hazard in the region as considerable to high.
The fatality is the third in Canada this winter and the 11th in North America.
