Two killed in Canadian avalanche
An avalanche struck up to 200 snowmobilers in Canada's Rocky Mountains, killing at least two
Sunday March 14 2010
An avalanche that killed two people at an informal snowmobile rally in Canada's Rocky Mountains could have been triggered by three daredevil snowmobilers who apparently unleashed a deadly wall of snow on up to 200 people below, witnesses have said.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said an even worse tragedy at Boulder Mountain on Saturday may have been averted because many of the snowmobilers had come equipped with avalanche recovery equipment and dug people out even before rescuers arrived at the scene.
RCMP Cpl Dan Moskaluk told a news conference on Sunday that two men are confirmed dead, not three as reported earlier in the chaotic hours after the slide.
He later announced the rescue search was over and there was nobody that they knew of left unaccounted for.
Moskaluk said the RCMP believe the avalanche was triggered by a stunt known as high-marking - a contest to see who can race up a slope and leave the highest mark. But he declined to say whether the riders responsible have been identified, or whether they were among the dead. Nor would he say whether they could face charges.
He said 30 people were injured, including one person in critical condition and three others in serious condition who were taken to regional hospitals. Nineteen people were treated and released at the local hospital.
Despite avalanche warnings, about 200 people had gathered on the mountain for the Big Iron Shoot Out, an annual unsanctioned event known for its party atmosphere and stunt riding that has become popular among people who enjoy snowmobiling in the deep snow of back country British Columbia.
Two men who witnessed the avalanche said it hit so many people in part because a crowd had stopped at the bottom of the mountain to watch three snowmobilers perform high-marking.
Steve Langevin, 38, said he thought the crowd was safe from "those crazy guys" because the snowmobilers seemed like they were miles away, but the wave of snow was so massive it easily reached them. His friend, Pierre Beaudoin, 48, said he thought the accident could have been prevented if people hadn't been irresponsibly high-marking in avalanche-prone conditions.
There have been a few avalanche deaths in the British Columbia backcountry this season but nothing compared to last winter, when there were two dozen deaths. There were 13 avalanche deaths the previous winter.
