Support teams available for students following death of Queen Elizabeth High School student in Nakiska avalanche

Emilio Hrazdira has died following the Friday afternoon slide. Avalanche Canada warns skiers to be very careful amid considerably dangerous conditions.

Grief counsellors were available Monday at the Calgary high school attended by a 15-year-old killed in an avalanche.

It happened Friday in the Nakiska ski area.

Emilio Hrazdira died in hospital Saturday.

He was with another 15-year-old boy when the avalanche hit -- that teen was able to dig himself out.

A team of rescuers pulled Hrazdira, who was unresponsive, from the snow.

It happened in the Monster Glades area near the Gold Lift.

According to Avalanche Canada, the two were bootpacking up a slope when they triggered the avalanche.

Both teens were athletes with the Alberta Alpine Ski Association.

Hrazdira was also a student at Queen Elizabeth High School in Calgary.

The school says supports were available Monday for students, including the CBE’s critical response team and CBE psychologists.

There’s also been a second deadly avalanche in B.C.

RCMP say a 23-year-old snowmobiler died after a slide in Kootenay Pass near Creston Saturday afternoon.

According to Avalanche Canada, two snowmobilers accidentally triggered a slab slide on a slope under a transmission line.

The avalanche danger rating in that area is currently considerable.

Dangerous conditions

According to Avalanche Canada, most of the Rocky Mountains are either ‘moderate’ or ‘considerable’ on the avalanche danger rating scale.

“Back in January there was a long period of dry weather and that formed weak snow on the surface. In the past few weeks, that weak snow has been buried by slabs. We’ve had roughly 50 to 100 cm of recent snow on top of this weak snow. Now we’re seeing quite large avalanches being triggered,” said Simon Horton, senior forecaster at Avalanche Canada.

Horton suggests everyone heading to the mountains checks the daily avalanche update, so they can protect themselves from danger.

“During these tricky, dangerous conditions, more than ever, it’s important that if you’re going out into the backcountry, it’s important to get the training, the gear and the forecast. All three of those things are always critical. Right now, really having a good understanding of the forecast will help you pick safe terrain,” said Horton.