A 37-year-old man was transported to hospital in stable, non-life threatening condition with undisclosed traumatic injuries after being buried by an avalanche on Saturday afternoon.

According to officials with the Kananaskis Country Public Safety Section, a group of three backcountry skiers were bootpacking in a gully in the Arethusa Cirque area of the Highwood Pass when they triggered a size 2 avalanche. One skier avoided the slide, a second skier was partially buried and the third skier, a 37-year-old man, was fully buried by the avalanche.

The fully buried man was freed by the other two members of his party and search-and-rescue crews were called to the scene. Two staff members, two conservation officers and a dog hiked and skied to the site of the slide.

The injured man was placed on a sled and safety staff transported him to an awaiting Alpine Helicopters crew. An EMS crew from the Kananaskis Emergency Services Centre attended to the man until a STARS Air Ambulance arrived to fly him to the Foothills Medical Centre in stable, non-life threatening condition.

The Kananaskis Country Public Safety Section confirms the three backcountry skiers were all equipped with beacons, shovels and probes.  Alberta Environment & Parks encourages everyone to read the bulletins at Avalanche Canada for updated avalanche conditions before heading in to the backcountry.