DON'T GO ALONE TO THE BACKCOUNTRY
A skier fell 820 feet down a mountain during an avalanche. He was saved by 2 rescuers who built him a shelter to keep him warm overnight.
Aditi Bharade
Mon, February 6, 2023
Castle Mountain in Alberta, Canada.George Rose/Getty Images
A man who was caught in an avalanche in Alberta dialed 911 for help after falling some 820 feet.
He was found by two rescuers who built him a temporary tarp shelter to keep him warm.
He was lifted off the mountain via helicopter, and sustained injuries to his back, neck and legs.
A skier caught in an avalanche in Alberta, Canada, on February 3 was saved by two rescuers who hiked for hours to reach him, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or CBC, reported on Sunday.
The man, who has not been identified by name in media reports, is in his thirties and is from Nelson, British Columbia, per the CBC. He went off the ski path at Castle Mountain Ski Resort on Friday afternoon and was caught in an avalanche, the ski resort's sales and marketing manager, Cole Fawcett, told the media outlet.
Rescuers from the Southwest Alberta Regional Search and Rescue, or SARSAR, a volunteer organization that helps the police with rescue missions, told the CBC they estimated that the skier had fallen 820 feet during the avalanche.
The man managed to dial 911 for help at around 4 p.m., a spokesperson for SARSAR told Insider.
Two rescuers from SARSAR — Amanda Goodhue and Madeline Martin — hiked for two hours through the mountain's rocky terrain to reach the man, per the CBC.
It was around 8 p.m. when Goodhue and Martin reached the man, hours after the sunset at 5:30 p.m. in Alberta. Rescue operations in the dark are riskier, SARSAR's spokesperson told Insider, which is why rescue operations usually take place in the daytime.
Though the man's condition was stable, he was too injured to be transported down the mountain. While waiting for backup, Goodhue and Martin tried to keep the injured man warm by building a temporary shelter in the snow, per the CBC.
"We initially dug ourselves a shelter and built a tarp shelter for our patient, we prioritized that, and just got him sort of comfortable," Goodhue told the CBC.
A second crew of rescue workers reached the group at 1 a.m. with more supplies. The man was finally airlifted off the mountain via helicopter at around 9 a.m. the following morning, per the CBC.
The man sustained injuries to his back, neck, and legs, Troy Savinkoff, a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, told the CBC.
"In my estimate, another 200 feet lower, he wouldn't have had cell service. That would have been blocked by an adjacent mountain," Marty Reed, a corporal in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, told the CBC.
SARSAR told Insider the organization does not have "information regarding the subject nor their injuries."
According to Avalanche Canada's annual report in 2021, there were 104 avalanche fatalities in Canada from 2012 to 2021. Most of these accidents involved skiers and people riding snowmobiles.
Representatives at Castle Mountain Ski Resort and the Kananaskis Country public safety program — which is in charge of helicopter rescue services in the region — did not respond immediately to Insider's requests for comment.
Helicopters search Scottish hills in efforts to find 'experienced hillwalker'
Ema Sabljak
Sun, 5 February 2023
Police Scotland's Air Support Unit aided the ongoing efforts to trace Ross Kinghorn in the Beinn a' Ghlo Munros. (Image: Police Scotland)
Helicopters were called to carry out an air search for a missing "experienced hillwaker" almost three weeks after he was last seen.
Police Scotland's Air Support Unit aided the ongoing efforts to trace Ross Kinghorn in the Beinn a' Ghlo Munros.
The 57-year-old was last seen on January 16 after he travelled by train from his home in Linlithgow to Bridge of Tilt area in Perthshire with the intention of going hill walking.
The last sighting occurred around 9am on the same Monday after he arrived in Blair Atholl.
It is believed the man set out to the area scoured in an air search by Police Scotland teams.
A statement by the Air Unit read: "The Air Support Unit assisted today in the search for Ross Kinghorn in the Beinn a’ Ghlo Munros.
"The hills were very busy with walkers. If anyone saw anything unusual, please call 101."
Mr Kinghorn was reported missing on Janaury 20 after failing to return as planned.
READ MORE: Pedestrian, 79, dies after being hit by bus in Edinburgh
He is described as white, 5ft 8in tall, slim build, with a bald head.
The hillwalker is believed to be wearing a blue beanie hat, blue waterproof jacket, green fleece, grey walking trousers and brown boots.
Extensive police searches located some of his personal items near Bridge of Tilt.
He was also in possession of a small two-wheel trolley which was among the items recovered.
In a re-appeal for information issued on January 27, Sergeant James Longden said: “We remain very concerned for Ross as our enquiries continue and we would continue to urge anyone with any information which may help to get in touch.
“Ross is an experienced hillwalker. His intention was to walk in the Beinn a' Ghlò hills above Blair Atholl and I would urge any other walkers who have been in the area who may have seen anything which looked out of place to get in touch as your information may prove helpful.
“I would also ask residents in the Bridge of Tilt area to check their sheds and outbuildings for any sign that he may have been there.
“Anyone who may have seen Ross is asked to contact police on 101 quoting 1588 of 20 January, 2023.”
Ema Sabljak
Sun, 5 February 2023
Police Scotland's Air Support Unit aided the ongoing efforts to trace Ross Kinghorn in the Beinn a' Ghlo Munros. (Image: Police Scotland)
Helicopters were called to carry out an air search for a missing "experienced hillwaker" almost three weeks after he was last seen.
Police Scotland's Air Support Unit aided the ongoing efforts to trace Ross Kinghorn in the Beinn a' Ghlo Munros.
The 57-year-old was last seen on January 16 after he travelled by train from his home in Linlithgow to Bridge of Tilt area in Perthshire with the intention of going hill walking.
The last sighting occurred around 9am on the same Monday after he arrived in Blair Atholl.
It is believed the man set out to the area scoured in an air search by Police Scotland teams.
A statement by the Air Unit read: "The Air Support Unit assisted today in the search for Ross Kinghorn in the Beinn a’ Ghlo Munros.
"The hills were very busy with walkers. If anyone saw anything unusual, please call 101."
Mr Kinghorn was reported missing on Janaury 20 after failing to return as planned.
READ MORE: Pedestrian, 79, dies after being hit by bus in Edinburgh
He is described as white, 5ft 8in tall, slim build, with a bald head.
The hillwalker is believed to be wearing a blue beanie hat, blue waterproof jacket, green fleece, grey walking trousers and brown boots.
Extensive police searches located some of his personal items near Bridge of Tilt.
He was also in possession of a small two-wheel trolley which was among the items recovered.
In a re-appeal for information issued on January 27, Sergeant James Longden said: “We remain very concerned for Ross as our enquiries continue and we would continue to urge anyone with any information which may help to get in touch.
“Ross is an experienced hillwalker. His intention was to walk in the Beinn a' Ghlò hills above Blair Atholl and I would urge any other walkers who have been in the area who may have seen anything which looked out of place to get in touch as your information may prove helpful.
“I would also ask residents in the Bridge of Tilt area to check their sheds and outbuildings for any sign that he may have been there.
“Anyone who may have seen Ross is asked to contact police on 101 quoting 1588 of 20 January, 2023.”
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