Snowmobiler killed in Valemount avalanche identified

An avalanche near Valemount B.C. has claimed the life of a snowmobiler, the RCMP said.

Mounties said they received a report Friday of a man who had been caught in an avalanche while on a snowmobile in the area of Clemina Creek, a popular recreation site southeast of Valemount, a B.C. town west of Jasper National Park.

Unstable conditions prevented search and rescue crews from recovering the remains of the victim, but officials plan to return to the scene when it is safe to do so.

Crews from Jasper, Alberta are on their way to help with the recovery effort.

The area was closed to the public on Saturday.

The victim was identified as 27-year-old Joshuah Maurice Bradshaw by the BC Coroners Service.

According to Avalanche Canada’s Forecaster Ilya Storm about 90 to 95 per cent of avalanches that kill people are triggered by the person themselves or someone in their group.

“What happened yesterday in Clemina Creek’s Morning Glory Bowl is consistent with this picture,” Storm said in a blog response.

“Our preliminary analysis is that one person was dealing with their stuck sled, two people were riding above, quite possibly coming to assist their buddy, and one of those three people triggered the fatal avalanche. All three were caught, one was on the surface, one partially buried, and the person who lost their life was fully buried.”

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