B.C. man killed in Sunday afternoon avalanche in Kananaskis

A 19-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., died after being buried by an avalanche east of the Mount Engadine Lodge on Tower Peak in Kananaskis on Sunday.

In a news release Monday, RCMP said Canmore officers were contacted about the avalanche on Sunday evening.

Two men were skiing in the backcountry when the avalanche happened at around 1 p.m., RCMP said.

One of the men was able to dig himself out of the snow, but the other was buried, RCMP said.

RCMP and Kananaskis Mountain Rescue workers were able to recover his body at around 9:45 a.m. Monday.

RCMP said they “send their condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.”

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Kananaskis Mountain Rescue says people should always check the Avalanche Canada website for weather and terrain conditions before heading out on any winter activities in the backcountry.

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Last week, a special public avalanche warning originally issued on Feb. 29 affecting parts of Banff, Kootenay and Yoho National parks and Kananaskis Country was extended to March 10.

“A variety of weak layers, established in early February, are now buried anywhere from 40 to 100 cm deep in these regions. After recent storms, the forecast is for clear skies and warmer temperatures in the Rocky Mountains,” Avalanche Canada wrote. “This combination of factors has the potential for challenging avalanche conditions.”

Areas around Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Field, B.C., and up Highway 93 were all in the warning area.

The “persistent weak layers” remain easy to trigger and authorities warn conditions mean a triggered avalanche could be large enough to injure or even kill a person.

With files from Adam Toy, Global News