Snowmobiler Missing Presumed Dead Near Chetwynd

Sunday, January 11, 2009 09:24 PM

Prince George, B.C.- Another snowmobiler is believed to have died in an avalanche, this time near Chetwynd.

North District RCMP say they got a call this afternoon reporting a group of snowmobilers had been caught in an avalanche in a remote area south of Chetwynd.

The RCMP attended where the snowmobiles had been deployed. The avalanche had taken place about 25 kms from the vehicles. All but one of the snowmobilers have been accounted for.

The BC Coroners Service, Search & Rescue and an avalanche technician have been called to the scene but due to the danger of further avalanches, no attempts to retrieve the deceased will be made until the avalanche technician has deemed the area safe. Tomorrow at the earliest.

The name, age and other details of the deceased will not be released until identity can be confirmed, next of kin are notified and the Coroner authorizes.

This is the second snowmobile death today, as another person is missing and presumed to have died in an avalanche near Sicamous earlier today.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2009 09:24 PM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: sledhead on January 12 2009 12:03 AM

This is such tragic news....I really hope the word does get out to all my fellow sledders....it's just not safe venturing into the backcountry right now. The snow is way too unstable and it doesn't matter what kind of safety equipment you got on (ABS, beacon, shovel, probe) it's not going to prevent you from being caught. Play it safe, ride untouched powder in the clearcuts and roads, avoid the steep and deep. It's just not a good year for going highmarking in the mountains.

Posted by: acrider54 on January 12 2009 5:45 AM

Good point sledhead!

Posted by: realitysetsin on January 12 2009 10:47 AM

Forgive me, I know nothing about sledding. I do know that sleds are more powerfull, and more capable than ever... Does that play a part? Or is it just a bad year for avalanches?

Posted by: lostfaith on January 12 2009 1:51 PM

Realitysetsin

It is a bad year for avalanche conditions.
Yes the sleds are more powerful than ever, but it's not the conditions or the equipment that is the problem.

It is the people that are not following backcountry safety rules that are the problem.

Posted by: Loki on January 13 2009 12:25 PM

It is a bad year for avalanche because the snow pack has very few freeze hoar layers. These are the fracture planes that allow one layer of snow to slide on a lower layer.
What is happening now is entire slopes are exceeding the break away point of the 30 to 45 degree slopes. This is instead of smaller areas breaking off in smaller, more contained avalanches.

www.avalanche.ca/