An Avalanche of support

Imagine being completely buried in a massive avalanche. Then, imagine being rescued by another group of back country travelers.

This bad news/good news story isn’t fictional. This actually happened in Cherry Bowl. It’s a remarkable story of avalanche rescue in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains.

On March 5 at its annual gala, the Avalanche Canada Foundation Benefit announced funding for the Cherry Bowl project — a multimedia educational platform for future avalanche safety courses.

Avalanche Canada’s vision is to eliminate avalanche accidents and fatalities in Canada. Over the past 15 years, the Avalanche Canada Foundation has been raising money for public avalanche forecasts, avalanche education, youth awareness, outreach programs and snow safety research.

This year’s benefit was held at the spectacular Canadian Pacific Railway Pavilion, adjacent to the Fairmont Palliser Hotel. Everyone was treated to CP Rail’s famous “Royal Canadian Pacific” service and enjoyed the opportunity to explore CP’s steam engine and historic railway cars.

Avalanche Canada president, Kevin Seel’s opening remarks set the stage for an inspiring evening that raised $90,000 for avalanche safety in Canada.

Kudos to all involved on the success of the event, especially presenting sponsor Canadian Pacific Railway.

Other sponsors, donors and supporters who can take a bow include: Canadian Mountain Holidays; Ski Cellar Snowboard; Cardel Homes; Secure Energy Services; Polar Capital; Brad and Tanya Zumwalt; McDaniel & Associates Consultants; BMO Capital Markets; FirstEnergy Capital; Peters & Co. Ltd. and Purcell Mountain Lodge.

Guests in attendance at the event are pictured here.

PHOTOS: AVALANCHE CANADA Avalanche Canada’s Gordon Ritchie, left, and FirstEnergy’s John Chambers joined Eaglewood Energy’s Brad Hurtubise and his wife Lorelei as CP Rail hosted Avalanche Canada’s benefit on March 5 at the spectacular Canadian Pacific Railway Pavilion,...

Mountain of Wine volunteers Christa Nicholson, left, Sue Stangl and Sue Finley helped to make the Avalanche Canada. benefit a big success

Past Avalanche Canada director Morgan Hincks, left, her husband Paul Boskovich and his father, Joe Boskovich, attended the Avalanche Canada benefit.

Ski Cellar Snowboard’s Don Maher, left, Betty Conklin, Brian Anderson and Jean Hunt, with Stefan Billings from Sunshine Village were on hand as CP Rail hosted Avalanche Canada’s benefit.

Socializing at Avalanche Canada’s benefit event are FirstEnergy’s Andrew Osborne, left, Nathan Trainor and Jared Poplawski with Charles Bougie from Kluane Partners.

Gilles Valade and Gordon Ritchie from Avalanche Canada visited with CP Rail’s Peter Arato and his wife Judith, on the right, at the benefit.