Snowmobiler dead after avalanche in B.C.’s Kootenay Pass

A 23-year-old man died Saturday after an avalanche was triggered in British Columbia’s Kootenay Pass, RCMP say.

The man was riding a snowmobile at the time, police said, adding they were notified of the incident around 12:10 p.m. on Saturday.

An SOS activation from a Garmin device led them to the area. The avalanche was determined to be a size 2.5 in the transmission line behind Camel’s Hump.

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Two snowmobilers were involved, police said.

“Other snowmobilers in the area provided assistance to the two snowmobilers involved while emergency personnel from the Creston RCMP, Search and Rescue, and BC Emergency Health Services responded,” they said in a news release Monday.

“Both men were extracted by the other snowmobilers, but sadly a 23-year-old man died at scene.”

No other information was released.

The death comes just a day after another avalanche killed a 15-year-old skier in Alberta.

The avalanche occurred in the Naskiska area, about 100 kilometres west of Calgary.

Avalanche Canada issued a warning that strong winds and new snow had fallen in the area overnight Thursday and into Friday, meaning the avalanche danger in the area was high.

There are now six avalanche-related fatalities in Western Canada so far this winter.

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