‘Lucky’ skier plunges 300 feet

Revelstoke skier lucky to be alive after skiing out of bounds.

Revelstoke RCMP.

A 31 year old male from Sweden is lucky to be alive after making a decision to ski out of bounds at Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR).

At approx. 10:45 this morning police received a report of a man stuck on a ledge on Mt. Mackenzie. The subject went under the out of bounds rope and was standing on a wind drift when it collapsed and triggered a small avalanche. The snow carried him 300 feet down the hill were he came to rest on a ledge. Had he not hit the ledge the man would have been swept over a 100 foot cliff.

Revelstoke Search and Rescue along with RMR’s ski patrol rescued the skier by using a helicopter and long lining him off the side of the mountain. He was then taken to hospital with what is believed to be very minor injuries.

This is just another example of why people should not go out of bounds. A small ledge is all that kept this incident a rescue rather than a recovery.

This was on the heels of another snowboarder who was reported missing Monday at 5:00 pm. The snow boarder managed to walk himself out and off the mountain, returning home at 1:45 a.m.

As the numbers increase it is only a matter of time before the outcome will be a tragic one. Police are encouraging all users of the Resort to stay in bounds and stay safe.

January 19, 2010
Revelstoke
RCMP File # 2010-205