VICTORIA - British Columbia's public safety minister has issued a statement about the risks of using the backcountry after a recent fatality in treacherous snow conditions.
Mike Farnworth says it's critical for outdoor enthusiasts to make safety a top priority before venturing into the backcountry.
He notes search and rescue teams responded to 28 incidents throughout the province on the Family Day long weekend, when climbers, snowshoers, snowmobilers and a skier were rescued.
Farnworth is urging people to heed weather warnings issued by Avalanche Canada, which says slides will remain “very likely” in the northwest coastal region after a massive storm on Tuesday.
A 52-year-old man from Nanaimo died near Whistler in the area of Mt. Callaghan on Saturday after a cornice collapsed from under his snowmobile, sending him and the vehicle plunging 75 metres.
Another person was injured and airlifted to a hospital in Calgary on Saturday after a slide near Golden, B.C.
