11°c Overcast
18°c Light rain
The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION
Heli-ski guide dies in mountains near Haines; 2 others treated for injuries
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A 34-year old heli-skiing guide has died in a backcountry accident on a mountain near Haines.
Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said Monday that Christian Arcadio Cabanilla was killed Sunday.
He was a guide for Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures, based in Haines, Peters said.
Cabanilla and two clients were traversing an area when snow gave way underneath them, and they fell down the mountain, Peters said.
The other two skiers suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Both were taken to a Juneau hospital. One of them was sent on to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, the company said Monday.
Cabanilla was found unconscious and was taken to a Haines clinic, where he was pronounced dead.
Troopers were notified at about 1:13 p.m. Sunday.
"While the incident is under investigation, preliminarily it appears to have been caused by a massive cornice failure," Nicholas Trimble of Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures said in a statement. A cornice is an overhanging edge of snow on a ridge or the crest of a mountain.
The company "extends its deepest support to the injured skiers, and sympathy and support to the family and friends of the deceased skier," Trimble added.
KHNS-FM in Haines, citing company President Scott Sundberg as a source, reported that Cabanilla was skiing recreationally on a tour with five people total and was not acting as lead guide.
Sundberg told the radio station the group was skiing near Kicking Horse Valley, west of Haines, and that the death and injuries were not caused by an avalanche.
Biographical information listed on the company website said Cabanilla was an international backcountry snowboard guide with more than a decade of experience in the heli-ski industry in Alaska. He had also worked in the Chilean Patagonia and Antarctica, according to the website.
He had received advanced avalanche training in forecasting and responding to avalanches and had training in crevasse rescue and wilderness first response, the website said.
Cabanilla was a commercial helicopter pilot who had flown glacier sightseeing tours, heli-skiing trips, firefighting missions and mineral exploration flights, according to the website.
More Travel
- Back to Top
- Return to Travel
More Travel
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Proposal to charge for parking at some California state beaches riles environmental groups
05/18/2013 4:41 PM 0
Poll
Most Popular Travel
- Chefs serve fine food, wine at Fenway Park to raise money for Boston Marathon bombing victims
- Breakaway is a beauty
- Drug offences, kidnap coverage concerning
- Decades later, some unhappy campers recall tears, hives, bad food: "I hated sleepaway camp!"
- 5 free things in South Dakota's Black Hills, from historic towns to famous monuments
- Galveston's rising tide
- The views are big in little Liechtenstein
- COMPASS: May 18-13
- New Refinery Hotel in NYC's Garment District inspired by its industrial past as a hat factory
- Trailer-park temptations
- Nephew says arrest of Saudi uncle with pressure cooker at Detroit airport was misunderstanding
- Trailer-park temptations
- Amsterdam from the eyes of a child
- 5 free things in South Dakota's Black Hills, from historic towns to famous monuments
- Luxury Waikiki hotel apologizes to Hawaii entertainer, family who claimed discrimination
- U.S. bill would give Canadian snowbirds more time to spend in the sun
- Belize government condemns pyramid destruction by builder, promises 'vigorous' investigation
- Decades later, some unhappy campers recall tears, hives, bad food: "I hated sleepaway camp!"
- Chefs serve fine food, wine at Fenway Park to raise money for Boston Marathon bombing victims
- Breakaway is a beauty
- Nephew says arrest of Saudi uncle with pressure cooker at Detroit airport was misunderstanding
- ASK JOURNEYS: Don't mess with Air Canada's check-in times
- Trailer-park temptations
- Vacation in Iceland? Why not?
- Minnesota Bound
- US tourists swim for nearly 14 hours after ship sinks near St. Lucia
- Transport Canada to allow WestJet flight attendant ratio exemption
- Police: Man who fired shots in Houston airport terminal was intent on committing suicide
- Ocean and buffets calling? Saving money on a cruise vacation requires timing, knowledge
- Amsterdam from the eyes of a child
- Small batches, big flavour
- Derry at peace with the past
- ASK JOURNEYS: Honouring of motherhood goes way back
- U.S. bill would give Canadian snowbirds more time to spend in the sun
- ASK JOURNEYS: Don't mess with Air Canada's check-in times
- A big helping of Bellingham
- Vacation in Iceland? Why not?
- Derry at peace with the past
- Air Canada's new check-in deadline: 45 minutes before domestic departures
- Buenos Aires' endless nights
- Japan's Mount Fuji poised to be recognized as World Heritage site
- Small batches, big flavour
- NEEPAWA: Lily Capital of the World; home of literary legend
- Hey, baby
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.