Whistler Blackcomb section closed for avalanche danger - but not to B.C. 'BILLIES

The Globe and Mail
Corporate Bilge Served up Daily
Man killed, another hurt in Whistler avalanche
By Wendy Stueck
Jan. 2/08

A 29-year-old male skier was killed at Whistler Blackcomb yesterday when he and a snow boarder entered a closed section of the mountain and triggered an avalanche that swept them over a cliff. The skier and the 21-year-old male snow boarder, who survived the fall with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, were riding in a permanently closed section of the resort known as Hanging Roll. As they rode along the area, near the West Bowl on Whistler Mountain, the two men dislodged a slab of snow, triggering an avalanche that swept them over a 45-metre cliff.

... "I've said it over and over again - I don't know why people don't believe or understand why the signs aren't for them," Doug Forseth, Whistler Blackcomb's senior vice-president of operations, said. To get to the area, the men would have had to crawl under wire cables and passed at least four signs, Mr. Forseth added. (emphasis added)

The Vancouver Sun
Charges could be laid after man perishes in avalanche
By Doug Ward
Jan. 3/08

RCMP Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair said people who enter permanently closed areas, or who enter areas closed for avalanche control can have their ski passes revoked and face criminal charges if their actions lead to injury or death of other skiers.

In this case, police are still investigating and could lay criminal charges against the survivor, LeClair said.

... At the moment, most areas of the province are rated a "serious" risk, meaning avalanches can be triggered by human activity, such as walking over a weak spot.

On Saturday, another out-of-bounds incident occurred on Grouse Mountain, when a father and son were trapped for more than six hours in a gully rated with a high avalanche probability. On Christmas Day, a 21-year-old Japanese skier was plucked from treacherous avalanche terrain on Whistler mountain in a risky helicopter rescue. He was found out of bounds, directly behind the top of Symphony Express chairlift in a steep, unpatrolled area littered with cliffs.

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