FALL ON SNOW, PLACED INADEQUATE PROTECTION, AVALANCHE Alberta, Rocky Mountains, Mount Baker

On August 28, 1986, a group was climbing the northeast ridge of Mount Baker (3190 meters) near Lake Louise, on the sixth day of a climbing school. There were four students and one instructor on a rope. Around 1430, they were descending a snow slope on the east face, when an ice anchor gave way. The five climbers fell into a snow gully and triggered an avalanche.

The instructor and two of the students were only partly buried, and managed to dig themselves out. Then they dug out the other two students (23 and 26) and performed artificial respiration, but the two had died of asphyxiation. (Source: Banff Crag and Canyon, September 3, 1986, and Ottawa Citizen, September 2, 1986)