One person dug out following avalanche at Cypress Provincial Park
Posted March 4, 2017 2:16 pm.
Last Updated March 4, 2017 6:42 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – North Shore Rescue managed to save two skiers caught in an avalanche in Cypress Provincial Park this afternoon.
The pair of backcountry skiers were caught on the back side of Hollyburn Mountain around 1:00 p.m Saturday.
They were both swept over a significant cliff into the Tony Baker Gully.
One man was okay but the other was buried and needed to be dug out.
NSR Team Leader Mike Danks says one of the skiers, a 67-year-old, has serious injuries and is lucky to be alive.
“It turned out his face was actually six feet down in the debris and that was just to uncover his face, they still had to dig the rest of his body out, so he’s incredibly lucky.”
Danks says they were tipped off when another group of skiers noticed the second person frantically digging.
“Thankfully those guys were pretty savvy, and they assisted with the digging.”
He was long-lined out and is now recovering in Lions Gate Hospital.
The second victim is fine but said to be shaken up.
We’ve got a reporter heading to the scene and will have more on this developing story through the afternoon.
