(By the Broadcast Center News Team, with files from the Associated Press)
Sunday, February 5, 2012

An avalanche in the backcountry near Kimberley has critically injured a skier.

The slide happened early Saturday afternoon in the area around Hellroaring Creek, with Kimberley Search and Rescue called for assistance around 4 p.m.

Reports say the pair used a spot beacon to attract the attention of Search and Rescue personnel and the BC Ambulance Service.

A man and a woman were caught in the slide. The male sustained critical injuries, while the woman did not have any noticeable injuries.

The skiers have been identified as a 35-year-old man from Quick and a 36-year-old woman from Cranbrook