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Avalanche in the Rockies Claims Man's Life

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GG Staff | 01/10/2008 - 17:47 | Add new comment

But his family understands the seduction of the mountain

In a sudden avalanche on January 6th, "Big White" swallowed Aussie snowboarder Leigh Barnier.

Ski Safe Zone?Ski Safe Zone?Yesterday family members arrived in Canada to make plans for his burial. It's hard to imagine a bereaved family being seduced by the scenery, but the majestic mountains of Kelowna BC helped Barnier's family to find peace.

Fresh out of college, the 21 year old was working at the resort for a peaceful year of skiing and snowboarding. The ski resort on the Monashee mountains boasts the best skiing weather in Canada.

But the area was in shock this past weekend when an avalanche occurred "in-bounds" - in a groomed area, which was supposed to provide safe skiing.

Visiting the avalanche site though, his family understood the hold that the mountain had on him. According to a family representative, "they said that being here they could now understand his e-mails that he wrote home and why he was so passionate about the place."

A representative for Big White Ski Resort, said in a release, "I understand from talking to patrollers working on the line beside me that the Cliff area had been worked on the two days prior to opening it and, to the available science, it should have been safe."

The 2 most dangerous words in the English language - "should be."

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