INVERMERE, BC — Avalanche Canada has released more details about the deadly avalanche that killed three German citizens in southeastern British Columbia last week.
An incident report states that nine heliskiers and a guide were about 30 km southwest of Invermere, British Columbia, in the Coppercrown Mountain area, on a trail named “Too bad about the skiing”.
The guide was regrouping further up the descent, when “the fifth person in the group caused the regroup to settle, which triggered the avalanche above.”
The whole group was swept into the sparsely wooded area next to the largest avalanche path, according to the nonprofit nongovernmental organization.
Two patrons were completely buried and died on the spot, while the guide and three others were partially buried and seriously injured, and another suffered less critical injuries.
Avalanche Canada says all of the injured skiers were airlifted to Invermere Hospital, where one died.
The organization described the March 1 event as a “Class 3” avalanche, meaning it was large enough to destroy a building and snap trees. The report says the avalanche was 300 meters wide and 75 centimeters thick.
Last week, the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) reported that the mayor of the municipality of Eging, east of Munich, confirmed that the three men were from Germany and that two resided in his small town in Bavaria.
Mayor Walter Bauer told the news agency that the other man was from Munich.
Avalanche Canada has warned of an extremely unstable snowpack over much of British Columbia this season.
