Avalanche near Invermere claims life of snowmobiler
By Lone Sheep Publishing
Avalanche Canada said that one person is dead following an avalanche west of Invermere Saturday.
Avalanche Canada said that three people were snowmobiling in the Thunderwater Lake area of Forrester Creek when the avalanche struck.
Two of the riders were swept up in the slide.
“One rider managed to ride off to the side, the other was caught and buried in approximately two meters of deep on a bench feature mid-path,” the posting on the Avalanche Canada website said.
According to Avalanche Canada the victim was found by riders in the group, who performed CPR.
Local Search and Rescue from Columbia Valley responded, and the victim was taken for medical treatment in Invermere.
However, the snowmobiler did not survive.
“The new storm snow is very reactive on the buried sun crust,” the posting on the Columbia Valley Search and Rescue Facebook page said.
“Wide propagation has been observed, and there is potential to run full path.”
Avalanche Canada said the slide was at the 2,300 meter elevation and was approximately 100 meters wide.
Saturday’s death marks the 14th avalanche fatality in B.C. since January.
