One skier sustains ‘major injuries’ in Saturday afternoon avalanche at Golden, B.C.

One skier was seriously injured during an avalanche Saturday afternoon near Kicking Horse Resort in Golden, B.C. (Photo: Facebook/Golden Search and Rescue)

One person sustained major injuries following an avalanche Saturday near Kicking Horse Resort in Golden, B.C.

At around 12:40 p.m.,  according to Golden Search and Rescue (GADSAR),  they received a report of an avalanche “on Terminator 2.5 directly adjacent to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.

“A party triggered a size 2.5 avalanche from a notoriously complex piece of terrain immediately outside the boundary," they posted on Instagram and Facebook.

“One member of the party went for approximately 500m ride over cliff bands and through small trees resulting in multiple major injuries but was able to deploy their airbag and remain on the surface.

It added that one GADSA member responded from the resort while two others staged at the airport in Golden.

It said that the injured skier was transported by Alpine Helicopters back to Kicking Horse Resort, where they were transferred to B.C. Emergency Health Services for further treatment.

A B.C. Emergency Health Services spokesperson said that paramedics treated the injured skier and transported them to hospital with serious injuries.

There was a second avalanche nearby at 2 p.m. according to Avalanche.ca. It took place at Morey’s Bowl Spook.  Two skiers were in the group, but no one was injured. According to the report, “Skier heard whumpf then accidently triggered size 1. Had poked a pole into the slope higher in the avalanche path and decided to avoid. Avalanche was trigger(ed) lower in the path.”