Image Credit: Wells Gray Search and Rescue

By Victor Kaisar

Avalanche Rescue

Three people ‘lucky to be alive’ after Sunday avalanche: Wells Gray SAR

Feb 24, 2025 | 10:58 AM

BLUE RIVER B.C. — (UPDATE 4:00 p.m.): Wells Gray Search and Rescue (WGSAR) says three people “were exceptionally lucky to be alive” after they were rescued from an avalanche on Sunday (Feb. 24) afternoon.

In a post on social media, it says it was called to respond to the incident Sunday afternoon and that “at least one [person] was partially buried to the shoulder level.”

“All three subjects have been extracted out of the backcountry and turned over to the capable care lof BC Emergency Health Services,” WGSAR said.

“Special thanks to Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing Operation for providing the helicopter resources and personnel to conduct the field operations. Based on limited daylight hours we are grateful that they were in a position to assist.”

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: March 27, 2025

4h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Let's call a spade a spade

13h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: More families benefiting from child care investments in B.C.

Mar 26, 2025

With warmer weather here, backcountry users are being told to be mindful of the avalanche danger rating across parts the province. While the danger rating in the North Thompson is considerable today, Feb. 24, it was high – the fourth highest risk category on a scale of five – on Sunday.

Avalanche Canada’s Drew Nylen says people should expect “considerable” avalanche danger to linger for a while because of a persistent weak layer in many parts of the province.

“This set up started in January, We had a really long period of cold and dry weather and that has changed drastically. what that has done has put new snow and that new snow came with wind and warm temperatures,” Nylen told CFJC Today.

“It built a slab – so snow that wants to stick together now sitting on top of that old cold snow – and its set up to be an avalanche problem. That layer of cold snow is not going to away quickly.”

Nylen is asking people to be patient as Avalanche Canada is expecting another storm to affect parts of the Southern Interior and the South Coast in the next 24 to 48 hours which he says will likely cause the danger rating to spike again.

“It will take time for this new snow to settle and bond to the old snow and that may not be how it normally plays out,” Nylen said. “This may take a little longer than usual, so be patient, stay disciplined, and stick to low consequence terrain until that new snow has had time to stick to the old surface.”

You can find the latest avalanche forecast and other information here.