John Seibert was one of the avalanche survivors who was carried 300 feet down the slope and buried neck deep in the snow
Credit: Alamy
NEED TO KNOW
- A guided backcountry ski trip in the Canadian Rockies turned deadly when an avalanche struck without warning in 2003
- Seven skiers, including champion snowboarder Craig Kelly, died despite the group’s experience and safety training
- Survivor John Seibert described the harrowing rescue efforts and reflected on the risks of pursuing his passion for skiing in an interview with PEOPLE shortly after
What was meant to be an exhilarating, guided backcountry ski trip in the Canadian Rockies quickly turned deadly when a powerful avalanche struck the mountain, engulfing a group of experienced skiers without warning.
On Jan. 20, 2003, John Seibert was moving across the Durrand Glacier in British Columbia in preparation for a downhill run when a large slab of snow broke free above him, releasing a 1,500-ton wave of snow, ice and debris. The then-53-year-old skier with 35 years of experience under his belt was carried nearly 300 feet down the slope and buried up to his neck.
Speaking to PEOPLE shortly after the incident, the geophysicist from Wasilla, Alaska, recalled the terrifying moment, saying it was “as loud as a shotgun going off in your ears.”
Credit: AP Photo/Canadian Press, Gregg Chamberlain
Seibert was part of a 20-person group on a weeklong guided trip, each paying $900 for the experience and a stay at their guide’s remote lodge.
The skiers, however, were not inexperienced. Just a day earlier, they had completed a demanding climb of roughly 6,000 vertical feet before skiing back down. During their excursion, each person carried avalanche transceivers, which are used to locate buried skiers, and had received training in how to respond in the event of an emergency.
When the slope gave way that afternoon, several skiers were buried under as much as 15 feet of snow, but four managed to free themselves quickly and began searching for others using their emergency beacons.
Seibert said the response was immediate and controlled. “There was no screaming or panicking,” he told PEOPLE in February 2003. “Just the sound of people digging in snow that had turned as hard as concrete.”
Rescue helicopters reached the area about 40 minutes later, delayed by fog. By then, the survivors had already located the victims, one of whom was snowboarder Craig Kelly, 36, a three-time U.S. Open champion.
The group’s Swiss-born guide, Ruedi Beglinger, described the aftermath as “the worst nightmare that a human can ever see.”
Credit: AP Photo/Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld
Bad weather following the avalanche forced the skiers to remain at the lodge overnight. That evening, they talked about those who had been killed.
Apart from Kelly, the seven victims included Ralph Lunsford, 49, of Littleton, Colo., Dennis Yates, 50, of Los Angeles and Kathleen Kessler, 39, of Truckee, Calif. The other three were Canadian: Naomi Heffler, 25, of Calgary; Dave Finnery, 30, of New Westminster, B.C.; and a 50-year-old man from Canmore, Alberta.
“We traded stories about the people who had been with us and were now gone. It was a celebration of their lives,” Seibert recalled. “Most people think people like us are crazy, but we're experienced skiers doing what we love.”
Eleven members of the group left the glacier the next day, while others stayed behind to continue the trip.
In an interview with CNN following the incident, Seibert revealed that he would definitely ski again, despite what happened, stating that "the risk is worth the reward" and "it's better than dying of boredom" while sitting at home.
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