A massive avalanche in British Columbia claimed the lives of three skiers, including an American, on Monday (March 24). The avalanche occurred near Kaslo, on the east side of Kootenay Lake, as two groups of skiers were waiting in a staging area after finishing their run. According to the Kaslo Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a transport helicopter pilot observed the avalanche and sounded a siren, but one group of four skiers was swept away.
The victims have been identified as Jeff Keenan, a 44-year-old professional snowboarder from Whistler; Alex Pashley, a 45-year-old from Idaho who worked as The North Face’s Global Sports Marketing Manager; and Jason Remple, a 53-year-old professional ski guide and owner of Stellar Heli Skiing. The fourth skier, a 40-year-old from Nelson, British Columbia, was critically injured and airlifted to a hospital.
The avalanche, described as a Size 3 persistent slab, was triggered naturally at an elevation of 7,500 feet. Avalanche Canada had issued a high danger rating for the region, warning of rising temperatures that could create avalanche conditions. Mark Jennings-Bates, manager of Kaslo Search and Rescue, described the skiers as “very, very proficient,” noting that they were buried by the avalanche but later recovered.
Stellar Heli Skiing, the company involved, expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of those affected. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are leading an ongoing investigation into the incident.
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