Kimberley (BC), Canada – A day after a snowcat skier died in an avalanche in British Columbia, a skier was swept up in a second avalanche in the Kootenays on Saturday, and remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

The unidentified 35-year-old man, from Quick, British Columbia, was skiing with a companion on Saturday afternoon in the Hell Roaring area near Kimberley when the avalanche struck. The victim’s skiing companion, an unidentified 36-year-old Cranbrook, British Columbia woman, was able to dig out the victim and go for help.

A team of approximately 15 SAR volunteers worked for several hours to get to the subject, stabilize him and then transport him back down to a waiting ambulance, according to information from the Kimberley detachment of the RCMP. The trailhead was located approximately 45 minutes up a remote snow covered logging road. From there the team used two snowmobiles and a snow cat to reach the victim, who was another 5 km into the backcountry.

““The Kimberley SAR team did an amazing job under very adverse conditions assisting a seriously injured skier,” said Cpl. Chris Newel of the Kimberley RCMP. “Their dedication and commitment to helping others is to be commended.”

The victim is being treated at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook, where his condition has been upgraded to “serious.” His companion was also hospitalized for evaluation.