Two backcountry skiers killed in latest B.C. avalanche

Two backcountry skiers are dead after being caught in an avalanche in south central British Columbia.

A report from Avalanche Canada says the skiers were on a slope called Potato Peak, south of Tatla Lake, about 750 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.

It says both victims were fully buried during the slide that happened Saturday.

Search and rescue crews were notified when the victims were reported overdue and their bodies were later recovered from the scene of the avalanche.

Avalanche Canada says the area of the slide was highly wind-affected, leaving some parts of the slope thin and rocky, while other sections had up to 130 centimetres of snow.

The avalanche forecaster has warned of an ongoing dangerous snowpack this season with persistent weaknesses that make forecasting difficult, prompting numerous avalanches involving at least five other deaths.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2023.