Eight B.C. snowmobilers buried in Canadian Flathead

Eight snowmobilers were buried by an avalanche in the Canadian Flathead on Sunday.

Search teams recovered the bodies of seven of the victims, in their 20s, on Monday. An eighth man was missing and believed dead. They were reportedly from the town of Sparwood, The Calgary Herald reported.

The avalanche occurred in Elk Valley in the upper reaches of the drainage, which is a popular area for snowmobilers.

The Canadian Flathead becomes the North Fork of the Flathead when it enters the U.S.

The accident happened after 11 men went snowmobiling and had split into two groups when seven of them were buried about 2 p.m. Sunday.

As the four other men tried to unbury their friends, another avalanche came down and buried all of them. Two of the buried riders dug themselves out and then were able to dig out a third man by using their avalanche beacons.

The three men, fearing another slide, began walking out.

The men’s beacons created automated distress calls and a helicopter rescued two men and the third man was rescued by Fernie Search and Rescue personnel.

Judging from maps of the slide, the accident happened roughly 20 to 25 miles due north of the U.S.-Canadian border.

Avalanche danger is ramping up as the temperature has swung wildly in the past week. Last weekend the temperatures were well below zero. Then heavy snows came over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and then it rained over the weekend at lower elevations and snowed in higher terrain with wet, heavy snow.

The Canadian Flathead has seen similar snow conditions.

More snow is in the forecast, which should increase the snowpack instability.