In the Path of an Avalanche: A True Story

On January 2, 1998, in British Columbia's Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, six backcountry skiers were buried beneath a massive avalanche in the Selkirk Mountains. What led these experienced skiers to place themselves in harm's way? Bowers, a British Columbia resident, searches for answers in this gripping chronicle, exploring both the history and hazards of skiing as she examines events that led to the tragedy. A backcountry skier herself, Bowers has contributed to such publications as Canadian Geographic and Ski Canada, and she successfully intertwines technical information on avalanches with a suspenseful narrative. Opening with a description of the area (where Steve Martin filmed Roxanne), she notes the increase in fatalities that have accompanied the boom in backcountry winter recreation: skiing, ski mountaineering, snowmobiling and snowboarding. Dangers lurk beneath the ice and snow:""Despite decades of research and the application of some very sophisticated technology, avalanches are still somewhat of an enigma."" Outlining the difficulties of avalanche prediction, she details current efforts to prevent deaths and shares a mock rescue scenario. Setting the scene, she reviews the poor snow stability, weather conditions and other factors as they existed on the slopes in December 1997:""The snow was engaged in a silent tug-of-war with the forces of gravity.... In theory, even one snowflake could tip the scale."" A mountain map aids in visualizing the landscape as Bowers's vivid descriptive prose captures the full fury of the avalanche and the sad aftermath. Nonskiers will learn much from this book, as will risk takers.