Two snowmobilers from Alberta were found safe and sound Tuesday after having gone missing a day earlier in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains.
In a news release, Columbia Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR) said its staff were asked to help RCMP as they tried to track down the men who had planned a weekend at the Olive Hut next to the Catamount Glacier.
A helicopter was dispatched before dusk on Monday but weather conditions kept it from reaching the hut. Rescue crews were, however, able to speak with other sledders who had seen the missing men earlier.
According to CVSAR, a pair of avalanche technicians and a search dog returned to the area via helicopter early Tuesday morning to assess the avalanche risk and to complete a visual sweep of the area.
As weather once again kept the helicopter from reaching the hut, CVSAR sent a crew on snowmobiles who were able to find the men in good shape and take them back to the staging area.
On Monday, three people were killed in two different avalanches in BC.
READ MORE: 2 Alberta men killed in avalanche near Blue River, BC
Search and rescue officials said while everything worked out in this case, things could have turned out differently. They are reminding people who set out into avalanche terrain to take the appropriate gear and be aware of where they are. They also said people who use the backcountry should take an avalanche safety course and to check avalanche conditions before setting out.
READ MORE: Snowmobiler dies in avalanche near Castlegar