B.C. man in 'extreme skiing' film crew dies in Haines Pass accident
Skier from Whistler, B.C. reportedly went over cliff, triggered snow slide
A Whistler, B.C., skier is dead after going over a cliff and triggering a snow slide that buried him in the Haines Pass area, near Yukon, on Wednesday morning.
Search and rescue officials from Atlin, B.C., say the man was part of a four-person film crew, all from Whistler, that specializes in "extreme skiing."
No one else was hurt.
"I think the deceased was the subject of the movie, or the filming anyway," said Philippe Brient, of Atlin Search and Rescue.
The crew were "very well-trained, high-level skiers," he said.
Brient said officials were notified Wednesday morning of the accident and went to the area by helicopter from Atlin. They landed on a nearby glacier and walked about 15 minutes to reach the victim.
"The victim had fallen from a short cliff, about 30 feet, fell on a terrain trap and got buried by a small slide that he most likely triggered by himself," Brient said.
Brient said the rest of the film crew had been able to partially dig him out before search and rescue officials arrived, but the man was already dead.
His body was flown by helicopter to Atlin.
Atlin RCMP are not releasing the man's name until next of kin are contacted.
The Haines Pass, accessible by road between Haines Junction, Yukon, and Haines, Alaska, is a popular area for back country travellers.
With files from Vic Istchenko