LAKE LOUISE: The bodies of two Boston-area snowshoers hit by an avalanche in Alberta were recovered after searchers were finally able to get to the site of the snowslide, officials have said. The man and woman both 32 had been presumed dead after they failed to check out of their hotel Tuesday in Field, British Columbia.
Their vehicle was found at a trail head on Highway 93 in Banff National Park and their tracks were spotted near the avalanche debris. "Snow cover on the vehicle and in the parking lot indicated that the car had been parked there for some time," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.
Visitor Safety specialists hiked up the mountain and saw that the area had been hit by one or more avalanches, but conditions were too dangerous most of the week for searchers to enter the area. Parks Canada said avalanche control work Thursday in the area north of Lake Louise allowed the recovery operation to go ahead.
Officials believe the snowshoers died sometime last weekend. The RCMP said the couple was last seen last Saturday when they had breakfast in Field. On Tuesday, hotel staff called police to file a missing persons report when the couple's room appeared untouched. Authorities already notified the families of the snowshoers, whose identities are not being released.
"On behalf of the RCMP, I want to offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of these two people in this difficult time," RCMP Cpl Curtis Peters said in the release.