Photo by Joern Rohde/wpnn.org
Snowboarders encounter ropes and warning signs on the mountains. Skiers and riders are being urged not to enter closed areas after two people died in separate avalanches on Whistler and Blackcomb over the past few days.
Two die in New Year’s avalanches
David Burke dburke@whistlerquestion.com
Two ski-area guests, including one from Whistler, died in separate avalanches that occurred less than 24 hours apart this week in areas that had been designated "beyond boundary" for skiers and snowboarders because of the avalanche risk.
The tragedies prompted Whistler Blackcomb (WB) officials to implement a zero-tolerance policy toward those going into closed areas, with Doug Forseth, senior VP of operations, telling the Canadian Press that anyone found in beyond-boundary areas of Whistler or Blackcomb would have his or her pass privileges revoked.
The deaths, which occurred on Wednesday (Dec. 31) and Thursday (Jan. 1), respectively, were the third and fourth on-mountain deaths during the 2008-’09 holiday period. On Dec. 22, Vancouver snowboarder Samuel Daigle died after hitting a boulder in a beyond-boundary area of...
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