Emergency crews respond to ‘Level 3 avalanche’ near Whistler

Police and search and rescue crews are responding to a “level 3 avalanche” south of Whistler.

Whistler RCMP say the slide came down on Cowboy Ridge around 3:15 p.m. Saturday.

Police said so far, no one is known to be missing but that several people were caught up in the slide and had to be rescued.

None of the people rescued was seriously hurt, Mounties said.

2:05 Pemberton avalanche victims remembered

The area is a popular backcountry spot, and there were a number of people there at the time, police said.

Search and Rescue has been working to confirm that no one was lost but the area is really poor in communication as cellphones don’t really work out there.

Avalanche Canada lists avalanches by five categories of destructive power.

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A size three avalanche could “bury a car, destroy a small building or knock over a few trees,” according to a classification chart on the organization’s website.

Avalanche conditions in the Sea-to-Sky region were listed at “considerable” on Saturday.

Whistler RCMP are urging anyone who was previously in, or remains in the area to contact them at 604-932-3044.