KASLO, B.C. - An avalanche in British Columbia's West Kootenay region has claimed the life of a skier.
Selkirk Wilderness Skiing, located north of Kaslo, B.C., said the avalanche took place at 11 a.m. Friday on Meadow Mountain, about 30 minutes by snow cat from the community of Meadow Creek.
The company said the male skier was among 10 skiers and two guides and that the group was descending a ski run when the second skier apparently triggered the slide and was engulfed by snow.
The lead guide located the victim, who was wearing a transceiver and was visible from the surface.
The guide dug out the skier and began resuscitation efforts but was unable to revive the man, who police said was airlifted to hospital in Nelson, B.C.
"It's always a shock when that kind of thing happens," company spokesman Keith Davis said in an interview. "I know that they have felt this very, very deeply and they're shaken by it, needless to say.
"After 37 years of safe operation, to have this kind of thing happen shakes everybody to the core because they feel so deeply about the victim and the victim's family."
RCMP Staff Sgt. Dan Seibel said none of the other skiers was injured and that the identity of the victim has not yet been established.
Seibel said conditions were ideal and there weren't any concerns about avalanches that would have prevented the company from venturing out.
"The fact that they are a business, they must operate where staff people are properly trained and certified in assessing the dangers and potential of avalanches before they would ski that area," he said.
In fact, Davis said while he has no knowledge of the avalanche ratings in the area at the time, the company's guides are certified and test regularly during the day.
"They are very highly trained," he said.
Davis said the skiers were transported by snow cat to the top of the run, known as Ann's Run, from the lodge, which is located at 1280 metres.
While there was light powder on the run, Davis said he doesn't believe there was any fresh snow in last 24 hours, and there were sunny skies and light winds at the time of the accident.
Police have not yet spoken with any of the skiers in the group, Seibel said.
The incident was the fifth avalanche-related death in B.C. since the beginning of the season.
© The Canadian Press, 2012