Search continues after avalanche hits snowmobile gathering; at least 3 dead

At least 3 snowmobilers dead in Canadian avalanche

REVELSTOKE, British Columbia — An avalanche struck an informal snowmobile rally in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, killing at least three people and leaving an unknown number missing at an annual gathering best known for its party atmosphere and stunt riding.

Rescuers resumed scouring remote Boulder Mountain at daybreak Sunday after halting the search overnight. Police also conducted a door-to-door search of hotel rooms early Sunday to piece together how many people were missing from the Big Iron Shoot Out rally.

Revelstoke Mayor David Raven said an avalanche warning had been in place for three weeks.

“A fresh snowfall overnight exacerbated that warning. I know people have been cautioned again and again,” Raven told CTV Newsnet.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said three people are confirmed dead, but do not know how many are unaccounted for. Raven said more than 20 people were treated for injuries on Saturday after being airlifted off the mountain.

Four of the injured were transferred to larger hospitals due to the severity of their injuries, Cathy Renkes of Interior Health said.

Authorities said up to 200 people were on the mountain when the slide struck around 3:30 p.m. local time Saturday. The Big Iron Shoot Out is an annual unsanctioned but increasingly popular informal gathering of people who enjoy snowmobiling in the deep snow of backcountry British Columbia.

Kathy Berlingette, owner of the Smokey Bear Campground Resort in the area, said the event was in a remote place and everyone involved had to drive their snowmobiles out to get there.

She said the slide occurred in a place called Turbo Bowl, at the foot of the mountain, and a group of people, including parents with children, had gathered to watch the snowmobiles go up the hill when the avalanche broke through.

“One fellow that I was talking to said that it resembled a war zone,” Berlingette said.

Berlingette said she had five guests who came to town for the rally, and all survived the avalanche.

One survivor who came from Fort St. John, in northern British Columbia, for the rally described a “big white wall of snow” coming down on his group of about 20 to 30 snowmobilers.

The man, who did not want to give his name, said they saw the slide coming and had only a few seconds to react. He dove behind his snowmobile, and ended up partially buried. Members of his group dug him out.

The avalanche occurred near Revelstoke, about 300 kilometers (185 miles) west of Calgary and about 400 kilometers (250 miles) northeast of Vancouver.

Search and rescue teams, including helicopters and avalanche-trained dogs, were called in from around British Columbia and Calgary, said RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk.

The Canadian Avalanche Center issued a warning for the region for Saturday and Sunday, after a powerful storm blanketed the area with snow.

Greg Johnson, from the avalanche center, said at the time that there was danger that the snow would overload weak layers in the upper snowpack.

Adam Burke, 20, a member of the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club, said his mother and many of his friends were up on the mountain when the avalanche struck. His mother was safe, but at least one family friend was unaccounted for.

Burke said he chose not to go to the rally because of the dangerous conditions in the mountains this weekend.

“I told everyone to shut the mountain down. … I told my mom … don’t have anything to do with this event.”

Burke said the Big Mountain Shoot Out was started by a Calgary businessman several years ago, and got bigger over the years. It has a reputation for having a party atmosphere, with many riders and onlookers gathering to watch riders perform stunts, such as high-marking, where snowmobilers compete to see who can ride their high-powered sleds the highest up a steep slope.

There have been a few avalanche deaths in the British Columbia backcountry this season but nothing compared to last winter, when there were two dozen deaths. There were 13 avalanche deaths the previous winter.