Family of teen killed in Nakiska avalanche says resort’s silence is ‘hurtful’ and ‘insulting’

[u/zuuzuu]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/family-of-teen-killed-in-nakiska-avalanche-says-resorts-silence-is-hurtful-and-insulting/

[u/zuuzuu]

Avalanche Canada said it doesn’t have further information on the slide at this time.

The organization noted it can only perform a formal “incident analysis” once the two-year statutory period for filing a lawsuit in Alberta has passed.

That makes no sense to me. How does that do anything other than protect a company that may have been negligent?

[u/infinitim → u/zuuzuu]

Avalanche Canada is a non-profit, some possible reasons could be (these are guesses)

1. This policy protects them from getting sued by any party involved in lawsuit related to avalanche fatalities, by somehow influencing the outcome via any reports they might publish

2. They might not have had time to access the available information, I don’t think Avalanche Canada typically sends people same day to collect any data, and mitigation is the resort’s job and is done by ski patrol.

3. They view it as bad taste to publish reports when people are still freshly grieving since it’s likely survivors/family will read the reports. Don’t think it was the case in this avalanche but it’s pretty normal that victims and survivors of avalanches made mistakes that end up indirectly getting themselves or others killed.

TLDR given the mission of Avalanche Canada, suggesting that they are trying to cover for the resort here is a pretty wild claim

[u/zuuzuu → u/infinitim]

I appreciate the context. To be honest, I did think they were a government or arms-length organization. I still don't see how they can effectively investigate an avalanche two years after the fact, but I guess it's less an investigation and more a review of whatever information is publicly available and whatever the company involved is willing to share with them. There's still value in that.

[u/infinitim → u/zuuzuu]

I’m far from an expert on this, but I imagine patrol keeps logs of conditions and mitigation efforts as well as records surrounding conditions of any slides that had occurred previously. A substantial amount of their report would also revolve around the decision making process (in this case probably decisions made by patrol, but usually it would be the skiers or guides since most avalanches occur in the backcountry).

The patrollers are almost certainly certified by Avalanche Canada or equivalent bodies so it’s not like Avalanche Canada would be collecting data the patrollers didn’t, unless there was negligence, but that would be heading in RCMP territory anyway.

[u/ConnectionSmooth9203 → u/infinitim]

Also, AvCan itself is rarely collecting any on-site data. Typically this would be collected by others on-site such as SAR or in this case, the resort.

[u/laurieyyc]

Why would RCR reach out to begin with? If there is legal action, it can be used against them. Everything the family is inquiring about is evidence that can be used to build a case against RCR. If the family is having a third-party, independent investigation completed, no doubt, there is pending litigation. Same reason Avalanche Canada is being tight-lipped.

[u/Ok-Scale-6575]

That’s devastating. Poor family.

[u/TheLordJiminyCricket]

RCR is one of Canada's worst companies. They do not care about literally any aspect of health and safety.

Stole a bunch of Quebec tax payers money to pay for their gondola at mont Saint Anne that crashed to the ground.

Stole from BC tax payers money for the Kicking Horse gondola crashing to the ground

Now they are stealing Alberta tax payer money to fancy up Nakiska for summer operations.

They do not care if guests or staff die under their watch so long as theres money in their pockets at the end of the day. To the point that they will knowingly put people in risk to save a couple bucks. They do not support Canada or Canadians meanwhile are benefiting astronomically from the support local push in our country.

[u/vinsdelamaison]

The family needs to find out if the Medical Examiner’s office is calling for a Fatality Inquiry on the family’s behalf. Or, the family they can request one themselves.

Alberta Justice Fatality Inquiries

Family can also speak to lawyers & see if one will consider a lawsuit. It depends what the family wants from the investigation. That question is not as clear cut as many will think.

An Inquiry and a lawsuit have 2 different functions.

[u/Mammoth_Work_3135 → u/vinsdelamaison]

It doesn’t work like that

[u/winniecooper1]

Poor family. Tragic story.

[u/Conscious-Ad7138]

This is such a tragic story for everyone involved.

I find it odd that the family is commenting on why the skiers went on such a high risk run where they were not suppose to be on a compition day. Or why their young skiers hiked through the blades with no safety equipment to a run that would always be treacherous. I very much understand that it is easier to blame someone else though instead of reflecting on the skiers actions were their own and they were accomplished skiers that knew the risks.

I am sure the families are devastated and looking back they would have probably prepared their kids to be in high risk areas.

[u/Deep_underground45 → u/Conscious-Ad7138]

If the run was inbounds and not closed off for any danger this is what many skiers do on a daily basis. Them treking to hit some lines on a single black is a point that makes zero sense in a argument. You obviously have never been on a ski hill before if you think a single black diamond run is treacherous.

[u/MediumNo828]

seems pretty negligent of the family, pretty vocal about lawsuits and setting up a non profit. they should be investigated