Golden RCMP confirms the four skiers involved in an avalanche at Kicking Horse Resort in Golden. B.C. Saturday were from Calgary, but their names are not being released at the request of the families.

Around 2:30 p.m., the group attempted to ski in an area closed due to avalanche risk. Two of the men, aged 40 and 41, skied down the mountain, triggering the avalanche. They were buried in the snow. Two others, a 36-year-man and a 14-year-old boy, remained at the top of the mountain and were not injured.

The Golden Search and Rescue Team, along with Kicking Horse Mountain Resort staff, located the two buried skiers within half an hour of the call being received. Both men were unresponsive when located and CPR was immediately administered. The two were airlifted from the site directly to the Golden District Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

Rescuers reported that the first man was located approximately 70 cm below the surface of the avalanche, while the second was found approximately 60 cm below the surface. At least one of the skiers was equipped with an emergency locator beacon.

An expanded search of the avalanche path was conducted with the assistance of two avalanche trained search dogs from the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and a third avalanche trained search dog from the RCMP.

Once it was determined that no other skiers were involved in the avalanche, the search was called off.

Golden RCMP and the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort will be monitoring the situation closely in order to respond to any new information received that would indicate otherwise.

The Kicking Horse Mountain Resort says it wishes to express its sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of those involved and issued the following statement Saturday:

"This is an unfortunate incident, but it needs to be stressed that these skiers entered a permanent avalanche closure. The area is roped with explicit signage indicating the avalanche closure."

This is the third death to happen at the resort in the last few weeks. Last month, a skier from Quebec died from hypothermia after the woman and her husband spent 10 days and nine nights lost in the backcountry after skiing out-of-bounds.

This winter in B.C., 18 people have died in avalanches. March is statistically the month with the greatest number of avalanche deaths.