A skier injured in Banff National Park remains in a serious condition

A skier who fell off a mountainside in Banff National Park after a ledge collapsed last week remains in hospital in a serious condition, according to a close friend.

Parks Canada said they were called to help on June 20. A pair of skiers were climbing the southwest ridge of Mount Temple, south of Lake Louise, when one of them fell after a cornice, a prominent ledge of snow on the mountain’s spine, collapsed.

The collapse of the overhang triggered a slab avalanche of mass 2, which carried the man down steep, rocky terrain.

The skier, a 40-year-old man, was airlifted to Calgary in critical condition due to traumatic injuries.

Craig Doram, a close friend of the injured man, told CTV News that the two people involved in the accident were very experienced backcountry skiers.

“We’ve been friends for a long time and spent a lot of time with him in the mountains,” Doram said.

“He’s a cautious, experienced and well-prepared person, which is why it hit the community so hard.”

Two skiers set out for Mount Temple early – around 2 a.m. – on June 20, on a day with good conditions. One of them had gone there earlier to plan the route.

From what their friends and family learned, Doram concluded that the event was a “freak accident.”

“The only person who fell came to a safe stop on a very large ledge, and what we know from that event is that there was a rock slide and they fell down,” he said.

“From our conversations, it appears he was in a safe space and was trying to find the best route to avoid danger when the ledge collapsed, resulting in him being removed.”

(Supplied/Avalanche Canada)

The second skier managed to get down the ridge and locate the man following the avalanche. He called Parks Canada and began administering first aid.

The man was rescued and transported by STARS helicopter to Foothills Hospital in Calgary.

Doram said the man’s condition remains serious and recovery is a slow process.

“It was a very bad fall, so his body suffered a lot of trauma, but we hope he will recover,” he said.

Doram said the family of the injured man did not want to reveal his identity.

According to Avalanche Canada, snow banks are unstable pieces of terrain that tend to become more unstable as the weather changes.

Parks Canada said skiers are well-prepared for backcountry skiing, but cautioned that all mountaineers should use caution near mountain peaks throughout Banff National Park because that’s where large cornices can develop.

“It’s important for people to know that risks always exist and should be planned for as best we can,” Doram said.

“I think these two did that and sometimes things just happen.”

With the Michael Franklin files