BURIED

On January 20, 2003, at 10:45 a.m., a massive avalanche released from
Tumbledown Mountain in the Selkirk Range of British Columbia. Tonnes of snow
carried 13 members of two guided backcountry skiing groups down the 37-degree
incline of a run called La Traviata and buried them. After a frantic hour of
digging by remaining group members, an unthinkable outcome became reality.
Seven people were dead.

The tragedy made international news, splashing photos of the seven dead
Canadian and US skiers on television screens and the pages of newspapers. The
official analysis did not specifically note guide error as a contributing
factor in the accident. This interpretation has been insufficient for some of
the victims› families, the public and some members of the guiding community.

Why did the guiding team seemingly ignore a particularly troublesome snowpack?
Why were two groups travelling so close together? Were the guides adhering to
best practices for terrain selection and snow stability evaluation? What
motivated them to go there?

Buried is the assistant guide’s story. It renders an answerable truth about
what happened by delving deep into the human factors that played into putting
people in harm’s way. The story begins buried metres deep in snow, and through
care-filled reflection emerges slowly like spring after a long winter,
nurturing a hopeful, courageous dialogue for all who make journeys through the
mountains of their life. The story illustrates the peace that comes from
accountability and the growth that results from understanding.