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23-Year-Old Snowmobiler Killed in Kootenay Pass Avalanche as Risk Stays High

Forecasters say a weak, storm-loaded snowpack now poses considerable danger across the region.

An aerial view of an avalanche in the Kootenay Pass area, near Creston, B.C., is shown in a Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, handout photo. The avalanche swept away two snowmobilers, killing one of them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Nelson Search and Rescue (Mandatory Credit)
Kootenay Pass is a high-elevation mountain pass in the southeast corner of B.C.
Avalanche Canada describes the current conditions in parts of B.C. as the perfect recipe for avalanche activity.
An RCMP underwater recovery team recovers the bodies of two snowmobilers from Charlotte Lake who were reported missing on Feb. 20, 2026 after not being seen since February 17.

Overview

  • RCMP say a Garmin SOS alerted responders around 12:10 p.m. Saturday to an avalanche at Kootenay Pass in B.C.'s Selkirks.
  • Avalanche Canada reports two snowmobilers triggered a size 2.5 slide under a transmission line near Camel’s Hump.
  • Other riders dug both victims out before responders arrived, but the 23-year-old man died at the scene.
  • The danger rating for Kootenay Pass is considerable, with recent storm snow stressing persistent weak layers in the snowpack.
  • Authorities report this as B.C.’s fifth avalanche fatality of the season and urge conservative travel, training, and forecast checks as SAR teams may delay operations for volunteer safety.