Skip to main content

Skier caught in avalanche at southwestern Alberta resort spends night on mountain

Staff at Castle Mountain Resort say their rescue crews are highly trained to help stranded skiers. (File) Staff at Castle Mountain Resort say their rescue crews are highly trained to help stranded skiers. (File)
Share

A skier, along with his two rescuers, spent a chilly night on the side of a mountain at a southern Alberta ski resort last week.

The man became stranded in an out-of-bounds area at Castle Mountain Resort (CMR) on Friday afternoon, officials said. He managed to call for help with his cell phone, which luckily had service, but it was difficult for crews to reach him.

Rescuers finally did get there, but only after a five-hour hike.

The skier was injured, but in stable condition after he was caught in an avalanche that dragged him over rocks and through trees for about 250 metres.

Since it was too late at night to bring in a helicopter to fly them out, crews decided to spend the night there instead.

"They train for this, for sure," CMR's Cole Fawcett told CTV News. "To voluntarily put themselves in harm's way, to help get them out of there.

"It's pretty awesome."

The next morning, the trio was airlifted and the skier was taken to Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge.

He was discharged on Monday.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Stay Connected