2 DIE IN AVALANCHE AS FORECASTERS WARN OF `WEAK' SNOWPACK

RCMP say two men have died in an avalanche north of Whistler, B.C. A statement from the Mounties says the victims were snow biking when they were reported missing late Monday near Goat Peak, a popular backcountry destination for winter sports outside Pemberton. Police say others in the area reported signs of a fresh avalanche, but darkness and treacherous terrain delayed a search until first light Tuesday. Avalanche Canada says a complex snowpack with several weak layers has created the potential for large, human-caused avalanches. Several areas affected are the Purcell range in the southeast, Cariboo Mountains of central B.C., and slopes of the Sea-to-Sky region north of Vancouver, which includes the Whistler and Pemberton areas.