JASPER, Alta. – A Calgary man has survived more than a 30-metre fall into a glacier crevasse in the Columbia Icefield area of Jasper National Park.
Parks Canada says the 24-year-old was snowshoeing with a friend Sunday on the Athabasca Glacier when he fell deep into the ice and was knocked unconscious.
The pair were not wearing safety ropes or harnesses.
As his friend went for help the man who fell managed to climb out of the crevasse on his own using crampons, but then fell into a second crevasse up to his armpits.
On his way back down the glacier he met up with a rescue team that was responding to his fall.
Parks Canada says he declined help and left the area.
“The agency reminds adventurers not to venture on glaciated terrain unless everyone in their group is properly equipped and familiar with safe glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques,” Parks Canada said Tuesday in a release.
A report by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides posted on a Parks Canada Facebook page says the pair had limited experience in mountain travel and did not have adequate equipment for the terrain they were in.
The report says they were following a rough route from an unknown source and overestimated the strength of the snow bridges covering the crevasses.
“This individual is incredibly lucky to be alive,” the report says.
