Two skiers, buried in weekend avalanches in B.C., saved by friends: Avalanche Canada

Avalanche Canada confirms two skiers have been caught and injured in separate slides east of Pemberton.

The Avalanche Canada website says both events happened Saturday and each one involved a fully buried skier who was saved because of the quick work of others in their group.

Both victims had to be airlifted to hospital after smashing against trees and suffering various injuries while being swept along by the snow.

Avalanche Canada says the “deep and persistent” problem related to the unstable snow pack still affects most slopes in the B.C. backcountry and is now complicated by newly formed, touchy wind slabs.

Slabs, which are layers of stiff, wind-deposited snow, have been seen at all elevations and on all aspects of coastal mountains and the website says, when triggered, they can slice down to the weakest part of the snowpack, causing large avalanches.