Olympic snowboarder Mark McMorris injured near Whistler

Canadian Olympic medallistMark McMorris suffered multiple fracturesin a backcountrysnowboarding accident near Whistler, B.C., on Saturday, says Canada Snowboard.

CanadaSnowboardspokesperson Brendan Matthews saidMcMorriswas with his brother, Craig McMorris, and several other friends when he was involved in a crash.

It is too early to speculate on a timeline for Mark's recovery.- Dr. Rodney J. French,CanadaSnowboardteam physician

McMorris has a fractured jaw, fractured left arm, ruptured spleen, a stable pelvic fracture, rib fractures and a collapsed left lung.

McMorris underwent surgeries on Saturday and Sunday both successful, according to Canada Snowboard team physicianDr. Rodney J. French.

"While both the mandible and humerus fractures were complicated injuries, the surgeries went very well and both fractures are now stabilized to heal in excellent position," French said in a Canada Snowboard media release.

"It is too early to speculate on a timeline for Mark's recovery."

Brother calls it a freak accident

Matthews saidCanadaSnowboardwas not concerned aboutMcMorrisbeing in thebackcountry.

"None of the reports we've been given speculated it had anything to do with conditions," he said. "These guys take considerable safety precautions. These things just can happen."

Craig McMorrissaid the group was jumping off a feature in the backcountryonto a landing area at a high rate of speed and from considerable height.

"There was fog kind ofcoming in and out, and Mark, unfortunately, drifteda little bit too far left... and ended up in a clump of trees," he said.

"It's a freak accident, you know,99.9 per cent of the time he would have landed in the snow and rode away. This time, for whatever reason, just a couple of feet to the left and ends up in pretty much the worst-case scenario."

Craig McMorris saidhis brother was conscious and alert as they waited about an hour and a half for search and rescue personnel to arrive.

"Mark's a fighter," he said. "He was obviously in the most amount of pain I'veseen a human being, but it was good to see him communicating."

Ranked No. 1 in slopestyle

Mark McMorris, 23, is the WorldSnowboardTour's top-ranked maleslopestyleathlete.The popular athlete even has his own video game,calledMarkMcMorrisInfinite Air.

He won bronze inslopestyleat theSochiOlympics in 2014, and took gold in big air at a World Cup event in February.

CanadaSnowboardexecutive director PatrickJarvissaid he believesMcMorriswill be able to compete in the 2018 Winter Games inPyeongchang, where he could be a podium hopeful in both slopestyle and big air.

CBC News spoke withMcMorrison Friday after he and fellowsnowboarderSebastienToutanthelped createa dream course on Grouse Mountain, in B.C., that looks to push the boundaries of the sport.

• Year of hard work ahead as MarkMcMorriseyes Winter Olympics
• Road to the Olympic Games: Big air is a big deal
• SnowboarderMarkMcMorrisdescribes 'freak accident' that left him with a broken femur

Born and raised inRegina,McMorris and his brother visit B.C. frequently.

Canada Snowboard saidMcMorris is currently recovering at Vancouver General Hospital.

Facebook video: Mark McMorris at Grouse Mountain