CALGARY – The 34-year-old Canmore man who was killed in an avalanche Saturday afternoon in Kananaskis Country has been identified as Benjamin John Thackeray.
Kananaskis RCMP Cst. Virgil Bitz said Thackeray had been skiing with his twin brother and three others when the avalanche hit. Thackeray couldn’t be revived by rescue crews, and died on scene.
READ MORE: Canmore man killed in avalanche in Kananaskis Country
Thackeray and his team all had beacons, shovels and other necessary safety gear when they were hit by the avalanche in the Mount Black Prince area of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park on Saturday. Bitz said his brother described Thackeray as an “avid outdoorsman” and experienced back country skier. He worked ski patrol at Nakiska Ski Resort in winter, and operated a rafting tour company in the summer, according to RCMP.
“Our thoughts and prayers go to his family, friends and the greater ski community who have been touched by him,” wrote Matt Mosteller, senior vice president of marketing and resort experience with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (the parent company of Nakiska) in an email to Global News.
Originally from England, Thackeray had been living in Canada for the past decade or so, said RCMP.
Two of the other skiiers were able to hike out to get help; the other three victims were taken from the side of the mountain to the staging area by helicopter.
On Friday, Parks Canada had issued a special avalanche warning for many of the mountain parks.
For more information on the current avalanche forecast, visit the bulletins page at avalanche.ca/ca.
With files from Ken MacGillivray
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