No one was injured in an avalanche that occurred at Mount Norquay at 2:35 p.m. when it swept from the upper Valley of Ten to the bottom of Gun Run, Friday (March 11).
Ski patrollers, Parks Canada officials, helicopters and rescue dogs searched the slide area, which was estimated as a 2.5 on the avalanche scale.
“The run wasn’t open at the time of the slide, but the bottom of the slide made it onto an open run,” said Mount Norquay Administration Manager Annie Marquis.
Marquis could not confirm the size of the avalanche, however, heavy snowfall and warm weather are attributed as the cause.
Valley of Ten is a section of the ski hill that is frequently bombed for avalanche reduction, however, Marquis could not confirm the last time the run was bombed.
Canmore resident and former world cup skier Thomas Grandi was at the hill when the avalanche hit. He was spending the day at the hill with his daughter and noticed a problem on the hill.
Partway through one of his runs, he realized he was skiing through debris piles.
“I saw Gun Run was groomed, but once I was on it, realized there were parts that weren’t,” Grandi said. “You always have to be aware when you’re on the mountain.”
