WHISTLER, B.C. - Two more thrill-seekers lured by the pristine mountain snow of Canada's westernmost province have been killed in two separate but equally deadly avalanches on the perilous slopes of British Columbia.
A 26-year-old snowboarder from outside B.C. died Thursday while snowboarding by himself on a side of Whistler Mountain that wasn't open to public access, officials said.
He was buried in a snow slide just hours after searchers on adjacent Blackcomb Mountain found the body of a 37-year-old skier from Whistler, who was buried the evening before.
The latest deaths, both coming in areas marked off-limits because of avalanche risk, come in the shadow of a tragic string of snow slides in the B.C. Interior near Fernie, B.C., that claimed the lives of eight snowmobilers from the nearby town of Sparwood.
"The problem is you've got tempting conditions with fresh snow on the other side of the boundary lines and people are ducking the ropes to go into those areas," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair.
"Those people are putting themselves at great risk, as is obvious by the tragedies that we've experienced in Whistler today."
No names have been released.
The latest slides couldn't have come at a worse time for Whistler, which is preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympics and trying to restore the lustre of its public image after a gondola malfunction in December left skiers trapped for hours, dangling precariously over the slopes.
Whistler Blackcomb simply said the incident was a reminder to skiers and snowboarders to take extra care in light of the increased avalanche risk, and to stay out of off-limits areas.
"The recent weather events throughout British Columbia have created a considerable to high avalanche advisory in many areas throughout British Columbia," the resort said in a news release.
A third avalanche was also reported on Thursday, but LeClair said after an extensive search no one was found in the snow.
The resort town's mayor, Ken Melamed, said it's become all too clear that the current season is proving especially dangerous.
"Avalanches are extremely common on the mountains, but the mountains manage that risk," Melamed said in an interview.
"The particular conditions we have at the moment are not your normal coastal snowpack. It might be taking some of the skiers by surprise."
The Whistler slides come with the memory of Sparwood's tragedy still fresh in the minds of Canadians and reverberating around the world.
The dead snowmobilers, all experienced outdoorsmen well aware of the risks, were among 11 caught in a series of back-to-back avalanches while riding in a rocky backcountry bowl near Fernie.
The three who survived were forced to leave their friends buried in the snow in order to fetch help and escape the imminent danger of yet another avalanche.
Sparwood, a close-knit mining community of about 4,000 people, has been left devastated by the tragedy. A public memorial is scheduled for Sunday in Sparwood while the men's families prepare for private funeral services.
Avalanche warnings are currently in place for much of southern B.C., including both Whistler and Fernie.
The Canadian Avalanche Centre issued an updated warning on Thursday, saying that a weak snowpack has created fragile conditions.
The centre said clear skies forecasted for the coming weekend will likely bring more people into the backcountry, increasing the risk that someone could be caught up in an avalanche.
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guys honestly take it easy out there. There has been way to many people have been dieing this season so far do to avalanches. Be smart out there guys.
