Snowmobiler dies near Whistler
Posted February 12, 2018 1:58 pm.
Last Updated February 12, 2018 2:41 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WHISTLER (NEWS 1130) – A 52-year-old man from Nanaimo is dead after what appears to have been an accident near Whistler.
RCMP say snowmobiler was in the area of Mt. Callaghan when he stopped on a cornice (snow ledge), which collapsed. The man fell about 250 feet onto the slope and was partially buried.
Other snowmobilers in the area dug the man out and began CPR, as Whistler Search and Rescue crews responded with a doctor via helicopter.
The man died at the scene.
The cause of death has not been determined, but RCMP say it does not appear suspicious.
RCMP and search crews say this incident highlights the importance of using extreme caution while in the backcountry, particularly around cornices.
“Avalanche Canada had advertised that the hazard in the alpine was deemed to be moderate at the time but had recommended people give cornices an extra wide berth,” says Whistler RCMP Staff Sergeant Paul Hayes.
