One person was taken to hospital with serious injuries after triggering an avalanche on the backside of Kicking Horse Mountain in Golden, B.C. on Saturday.
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Golden Search and Rescue (GADSAR) responded to a report of an avalanche near Kicking Horse Mountain Resort at around 12:40 p.m. on Saturday, according to their social media.
A group of skiers triggered a size 2.5 avalanche from a “notoriously complex piece of terrain immediately outside the boundary,” GADSAR said in an Instagram post.
“One member of the party went for approximately 500m ride over cliff bands and through small trees resulting in multiple major injuries,” GADSAR said, adding the skier was was able to deploy their airbag and remain on the surface of the snow.
One GADSAR member responded from the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, while two other GADSAR members stationed at the airport in Golden “inserted into the scene via heli sling” with the help of Alpine Helicopters, GADSAR said.
Responders transported the injured to the resort where an ambulance had been dispatched, according to BC Emergency Health Services.
BC EHS said it received the call about a skier caught in an avalanche on the backside of Kicking Horse Mountain at 12:40 p.m.
“The area ski patrol and search and rescue team located and transported the skier to the resort, where one ambulance was dispatched,” BC EHS said in a statement. “Paramedics treated the patient, who was then transported to hospital with serious injuries.”
A second avalanche occurred nearby at Morey’s Bowl Spook at 2 p.m. on Saturday, according to Avalanche Canada’s website.
One skier “heard whumpf” before accidentally triggering a size 1 avalanche, according to an incident report on the Mountain Information Network.
Two skiers were in the group. One person was caught in the avalanche but no injuries were reported, according to the report.
Avalanche sizes are classified by their destructive potential, according to Avalanche Canada’s website. Size 1 avalanches are considered relatively harmless to people, while size 2 avalanches are big enough to bury, injure or kill a person. Size 3 avalanches are typically capable of destroying a small building.
GADSAR reminds people to check avalanche conditions with Avalanche Canada at www.avalanche.ca/map, and advises people to reasses conditions after new snow and wind.