A snowboarder has suffocated after falling into deep powder snow on a glade run in Blackcomb Resort’s Crystal Ridge area, just a week into the resort’s ski season.
The 27-year-old was in a tree run known as Arthur’s Choice Saturday morning when he encountered problems and died in the seemingly bottomless snow.
Whistler Search and Rescue manager Brad Sills warned on Sunday that going off the main runs at this time of year can be dangerous as there are still many hazards buried under the surface.
“It is early season,” he said of the conditions in the alpine areas. “You have to be extra precautionary, there are open creek beds, open crevasses, there are lots of hazards out there right now.”
The avalanche danger at the top of Whistler and Blackcomb is high and Sills said people are being warned that the snowpack is unstable after almost two metres of snow fell in the past week.
“There is an unconsolidated, deep snowpack,” he said.
There is a closure of the high alpine areas of Whistler Blackcomb with the sudden arrival of winter, and Sills said it is closed for a reason. “The mountain’s alpine is closed and that should be everyone’s first clue it is not safe back there.”
Sills said they have already had a number of successful searches this month for people who have gone into the backcountry despite the warnings and early conditions.
It is believed the snowboarder fell and was trapped in the deep snow.
“I think he fell face first,” said Sills. The snow is so light and deep that it can trap a person, he said. “It is easy in these conditions to fall and not be able to get out.”
He said the resort’s ski patrol have been busy putting up signs to keep people out of the dangerous areas. “Make sure you pay attention to the signs,” he said. “Slow down and be cautious — there is not a lot underneath that fluff.”
Both the Whistler RCMP and the coroner are investigating Saturday’s death.
The snowboarder was believed to be alone in the off-piste run. His name has yet been released.
“You should always be skiing with a buddy even in the inbounds areas,” said Sills.
The mountain’s ski patrol found the man at 12:15 p.m. He was being given CPR by a member of the public, and the patrol continued to provide CPR as they waited for another team equipped with a defibrillator.
The snowboarder was pronounced dead at 1:17 p.m. on Saturday.
