Fernie Search and Rescue crews were busy with two rescues in the Rocky Mountains over the long weekend.
Two skiers were buried in an avalanche on Mount Fernie at about 11:40 a.m. Sunday when a slide was triggered above their group.
According to a statement on the Fernie SAR website, five people were skiing when the avalanche was “remote triggered.”
One of the people buried was able to dig themselves out. The second person was found 15 minutes later at the bottom of the avalanche near Fairy Creek, extracted from the snow and put in the care of BC Ambulance Services.
Later in the evening at about 7:49 p.m., rescue crews were called to the Harvey Pass area to attend to a stranded snowmobiler with a broken down machine.
Avalanche conditions and nightfall prevented the crews from rescuing the man, and he spent the night outside in the snowy, wooded area.
Two rescue crew members flew in at first light Monday to rescue him, Fernie SAR said, adding “he was cold but in good shape.”
The snowmobiler was also put in the care of BC Ambulance Services.