It’s still early in the 08-09 ski season, but it’s already been a season of tragedies for British Columbia’s winter sports community — and there are signs that the recent slew of deaths may have repercussions for backcountry use more broadly.
Canadian news agencies were transfixed over the past two weeks by the story of 8 snowmobilers killed in a series of avalanches near Fernie, BC. The men, all experienced backcountry riders, set out in a group of 11 — the 3 survivors made the agonizing decision to walk out without their friends when repeat slides threatened to bury them all again.