Good luck and planning helped rescue skier from avalanche in White Pass, B.C.

A skier is safe in Whitehorse after being rescued in the mountainous White Pass region of British Columbia.

On Sunday, a man got caught in a small avalanche while downhill skiing. A wave of snowpushed him against a treeand he broke his leg.

The man was travelling in a group. Theskiersmanaged to activate a SPOT locator beacon, which provided their exact coordinates to emergency services.

They were ableto stay warm until rescuers arrived.

'Lucky'rescue training happening nearby

The RCMP detachment in Carcrosscoordinated the response with Yukon Search and Rescue as well as the Special Operations Medical Extrication Team (SOMET).

The SOMEThappened to be training near the avalanche site at the time.

Thegroup's presence near the site was good luck, though the locator was also essential to a quick rescue, said Mike Fancie withYukonSearch and Rescue.

"It could not have been much faster," he said.

"They were able to assess the situation, work with RCMPand send a team up the mountain to find out what happened."

The emergency happened in amountainous area north of theFraser, B.C., border station.

SOMET and Yukon Search and Rescue staff attended to the skiers.

Some rescuers tramped down a path using snowshoes to allow easier passage, and theinjured man was carried to safety in a basketstretcher. He was loaded into an ambulance and brought to Whitehorse, which is about a two-hour drive away.

Avalanches 'more easily triggered' after recent snowfall

The skier'sname has not been released.

He was transported to Whitehorse General Hospital and is now recovering.

Fancie saysthe snow conditions in the White Pass region have been especially dangerous of late.

"It's always changing, especially with the different temperature inversions that have been happening,"he said.

"Right now there's all sorts of light snow shelves sitting on more established bitsso avalanches are more easily triggered."

Search and rescue agencies across Canadarecommenda list of 10essentials people should carry, including an emergency beacon.

Fanciesays the people skiing in White Pass Sundaywere carrying some of those items, but not all.

Safety courses are also available in Yukon through the Red Cross and Yukon College.

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