Snowboarder killed in avalanche near Whistler, B.C., the 2nd death in 2 days

A 45-year-old man was killed in an avalanchenear Whistler, B.C., on Saturday, the second avalanche fatality in the area in two days.

RCMP were notified of an avalanche in Brandywine Bowl, a backcountry area southwest of Whistler, at 2 p.m. local time.

Multiple people were swept up in the avalanche and people nearby began searching for them immediately as RCMP and search and rescue crews headed to the area.

The snowboarder was found about 45 minutes later and died of his injuries, RCMP said.

It's believed the snowboarder was in a group of three peoplecaught in the avalancheand, while trying to get out of thearea,another avalanche occurred, RCMP said in a statement.

There have been four serious search and rescue calls within the past three days, involving twofatalities and a "multitude" of serious injuries, RCMP said.

"The backcountry in the Sea-to-Sky [area] is not stable at the moment, it's time to wait andpostpone your touring trip here for another time," RCMPSgt. Sascha Banks said in a media release.

"This is hard on all ofus: Search teams, bystanders, police, and mostimportantly the loved ones of those who have died and been injured. Their stories have valuable lessons of which we all need to learn from."

On Friday, one skier was killed and two others wereinjured in two avalanches near Whistler.

The skiers wereswept up in anavalanche in the Poop Chutes off Blackcomb Glacier at around 3:20 p.m., police said.

Thatavalanche wascategorized as a Size 3, which means it was big enough to bury a car or destroy a house.