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Avalanche Kills Two In British Columbia

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/ AFP/Getty Images)

Melanie Wilcox Contributor
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Two people died in an avalanche in the Purcell Mountains in southeastern British Columbia, Canada on Thursday.

A skier and a snowboarder died outside of the area known as Terminator 2.5 outside Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden, British Columbia after snow fully buried them, Avalanche Canada reported. (RELATED: Brothers Go On Heli Skiing Trip In Canada, Die From Avalanche, Company Says)

The deceased were part of a group consisting of five snowboarders and one skier. The snow had partially buried another member of their group who survived sustained injuries. Members of the group had triggered the avalanche just above a cliff area

A second group of snowboarders lower on the track were impacted by the avalanche, but were not buried and did not sustain any injuries, Avalanche Canada said.

“We are deeply saddened to learn that two people were killed in an avalanche accident in the Purcells today,” Avalanche Canada said. “The snowpack in the interior is still incredibly complex and difficult to manage. Deep persistent slab problems may exhibit no signs of instability before a large avalanche occurs. They’re most likely to be triggered on steep and rocky slopes where the snow cover is thin or variable.”

“Choosing low-risk terrain and maintaining good travel habits, including having one person on a slope at a time and avoiding slopes where other groups are riding, is especially important with a dangerous snowpack.”

The avalanche was 400 feet wide and 3,100 feet long with a crown depth of five feet.

The deaths are Canada’s eighth and ninth this season and the fourteenth and fifteenth in North America, Snow Brains reported.