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01-19-2004, 09:49 PM
Snowmobiler survives terrifying plunge
Friday, January 02, 2004
REVELSTOKE, B.C. - An American teenager out for some holiday fun in Rocky Mountain backcountry was lucky to be alive Friday after his snowmobile went over a 450-metre-high bluff.
RCMP said the 16-year-old boy was among a party of three snowmobilers from Stillwater, Minn., on New Year's Day when his machine went over the bluff on Keystone Mountain.
However, the teen suffered only a broken leg and some other injuries in the lengthy tumble.
“They were up on the ridge and we believe they were making their way back to one of the snowmobile huts,” said Sgt. Randy Brown. “The young fellow took a wrong turn and went over this 1,500-foot bluff.”
Brown said the boy landed on a ledge at the bottom of the bluff, which if he’d missed would have sent him plunging another 610 metres.
“He’s a very lucky young man,” said Brown.
The boy’s father, a doctor, stayed with him while their companion snowmobiled down the mountain and then drove 50 kilometres to Revelstoke to get help.
A team of two RCMP officers and a dozen search-and-rescue workers located the teen and his dad about 2,000 metres up the mountain.
But with darkness approaching they decided to set up camp for the night. After spending the night in -10° C conditions, the injured teen was brought down the mountain Friday morning and flown by helicopter to hospital here.
Slide danger high
Officials have rated the avalanche danger in B.C.’s backcountry high because of this week’s major snowfall.
Conditions on local mountains such as Mount Seymour are excellent, but skiers and snowboarders are advised to take the proper precautions when trying to seek out fresh powder.
So far this season, there have been no major avalanche incidents in B.C.’s often treacherous back-country.
That’s in stark contrast to last winter, the worst on record for avalanche-related deaths. More than 20 people were killed on B.C. mountains, including 14 in two separate slides in the Revelstoke area alone.
Source: Global BC
www.canada.com/vancouver/globaltv
Friday, January 02, 2004
REVELSTOKE, B.C. - An American teenager out for some holiday fun in Rocky Mountain backcountry was lucky to be alive Friday after his snowmobile went over a 450-metre-high bluff.
RCMP said the 16-year-old boy was among a party of three snowmobilers from Stillwater, Minn., on New Year's Day when his machine went over the bluff on Keystone Mountain.
However, the teen suffered only a broken leg and some other injuries in the lengthy tumble.
“They were up on the ridge and we believe they were making their way back to one of the snowmobile huts,” said Sgt. Randy Brown. “The young fellow took a wrong turn and went over this 1,500-foot bluff.”
Brown said the boy landed on a ledge at the bottom of the bluff, which if he’d missed would have sent him plunging another 610 metres.
“He’s a very lucky young man,” said Brown.
The boy’s father, a doctor, stayed with him while their companion snowmobiled down the mountain and then drove 50 kilometres to Revelstoke to get help.
A team of two RCMP officers and a dozen search-and-rescue workers located the teen and his dad about 2,000 metres up the mountain.
But with darkness approaching they decided to set up camp for the night. After spending the night in -10° C conditions, the injured teen was brought down the mountain Friday morning and flown by helicopter to hospital here.
Slide danger high
Officials have rated the avalanche danger in B.C.’s backcountry high because of this week’s major snowfall.
Conditions on local mountains such as Mount Seymour are excellent, but skiers and snowboarders are advised to take the proper precautions when trying to seek out fresh powder.
So far this season, there have been no major avalanche incidents in B.C.’s often treacherous back-country.
That’s in stark contrast to last winter, the worst on record for avalanche-related deaths. More than 20 people were killed on B.C. mountains, including 14 in two separate slides in the Revelstoke area alone.
Source: Global BC
www.canada.com/vancouver/globaltv