RCMP said victim was 21 years old

A man died Saturday after he and two others were caught in an avalanche in a closed-off area of Lake Louise Ski Resort.

In a statement, the resort in Banff National Park said the avalanche happened around 2:20 p.m. in the West Bowl area.

When crews arrived at the scene, they determined that a group entered the closed-off area and triggered a size 3 avalanche. None of the people were wearing avalanche safety equipment, the resort said.

According to AHS EMS, three people were buried in the snow, two partially and one fully. The two people partially buried suffered minor injuries while the fully buried individual died.

RCMP said that the deceased was a 21-year-old man who was under the snow for roughly 45 minutes before being extracted. Emergency crews brought him to a medical hut on the mountain, where he was pronounced dead.

The man’s body was brought to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Calgary, RCMP said. His name has not been released.

Parks Canada is investigating the incident. CBC reached out to the agency for comment, but there was no immediate response.

Since the start of the ski season, officials have warned of weak base layer snowpack conditions that could trigger avalanches. Recent spring warming has also increased instability in parts of the Rockies.

Avalanche Canada’s website said that Saturday’s avalanche was “skier-triggered” and reported to be 200 metres wide and 550 metres long with a crown depth of 40-50 cm.

According to EMS, the avalanche happened in an area of Lake Louise closed due to avalanche concerns.