A Size 2 Avalanche Killed A Snowmobiler North Of Shuswap Lake In The Monashee Mountains Near Chase, BC | 2nd Avalanche Fatality In The Shuswap This Week
Crowfoot Mountain, British Columbia – At approximately 11:30 on Sunday, March 13, 2016 a snowmobiler triggered a size 2 slab avalanche in the Crowfoot Mountain area – a popular snowmobile area just north of Shuswap Lake in the Monashees near Chase, British Columbia.
The accident happened when three snowmobilers were riding in the Crowfoot Mountain area. One snowmobiler was caught and buried. Shuswap Search and Rescue and a helicopter with three avalanche technicians responded to the incident, assessed the scene and recovered the body.
The North Columbia avalanche forecast from Avalanche.ca reported Considerable danger in the Alpine and Moderate at Treeline and Below Treeline at 6:13 PM on Sunday March 13, 2016. That report called the deadly avalanche a size 2 slab avalanche.
It most likely “failed on the late February layer, occurred on a west facing convex roll at 1830m. The slab was 40-80cm deep, 60m wide and 65m long. The subject was found after more than an hour of probing as rescuers were not able to obtain a transceiver signal. Transceivers are essential equipment; if the subject was wearing a functioning transceiver, it may have made difference.”
This is the second snowmobile related avalanche fatality in British Columbia this week. Another snowmobiler died near Sicamous, BC on March 8, 2016. This is the 9th snowmobile fatality in BC this season.
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