A heli-skiing excursion turned tragic on Thursday, February 19, when a Size 2 avalanche claimed the life of a skier in the Selkirk Mountains, approximately 19 kilometers southeast of Revelstoke, B.C.
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The victim was part of a guided group of five (four guests and one lead guide) with Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing.
- The Trigger: The avalanche occurred at an elevation of 2,150 meters in the Akolkolex River drainage. The victim, who was the final skier in the group’s rotation, triggered the slide on a southeast-facing slope.
- The Rescue Effort: Despite being buried under 1.5 meters of snow, the skier was quickly located by the guide and fellow guests using transceivers.
- Outcome: Life-saving measures were performed on-site and continued during an emergency airlift to Queen Victoria Hospital, but the individual was tragically pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Regional Safety Context
| Key Fact | Detail |
| Avalanche Scale | Size 2 (Capable of burying or killing a person) |
| Terrain Type | Southeast-facing alpine/treeline slope |
| Current Danger | Considerable (Level 3) across the Monashee and Selkirk ranges |
| Primary Concern | Deep persistent slabs and weak layers in the snowpack |
Expert Guidance
Avalanche Canada and local authorities are urging extreme caution. A “Considerable” rating signifies that human-triggered avalanches are likely, and the snowpack currently harbors “persistent slab” problems that can be triggered from a distance or from lower down on a slope.
