Avalanche
Two guests on a guided heli-ski trip with Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) Heli Skiing were killed in an avalanche near Revelstoke, BC, yesterday. The avalanche occurred near the Alkolkolex tenure southeast of Revelstoke near an area known as Chocolate Bunnies.
Brothers Timothy and Jonathan Kinsley, from Pennsylvania, and a guide were caught in an avalanche at around 2 pm on Monday, January 23rd, 2023. The two guests were fully buried, and the guide partially buried.
“Immediate action was taken on scene by all involved to locate the victims, provide first aid and transport by helicopter to hospital. Ultimately, the efforts to save the lives of the two skiers were unsuccessful said Revelstoke RCMP Detachment Commander Sergeant Chris Dodds The third skier involved remains at hospital in serious condition.”
The three were located via their beacons and dug out. The two guests that had been fully buried were flown to Kelowna airport and then transported to Kelowna General Hospital. Sadly both died. The guide is in stable condition at Kelowna General Hospital
“It is impossible to put into words the sorrow that we feel and the sadness that is shared by our guests, their families and all of our staff. At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the deceased.”
– CMH Statement
The BC Coroner’s office and the RCMP are investigating the incident.
The deaths are Canada’s second and third avalanche-related fatalities in the last few days, the fourth and fifth in this season, and 10th and 11th in North America. On Saturday, a snowmobiler died after being caught in an avalanche near Valemont, BC. Earlier this month, two off-duty officers from the Nelson Police Department were caught in a slide near Kaslo, BC.
Experts say the snowpack only gets this weak every 10 to 20 years, and this year is similar to 2003, one of the deadliest avalanche seasons on record.
