A 44-year-old Squamish man died after being caught in a large avalanche south of Whistler this afternoon.



A group of five men were snowmobiling in the Grizzly Lake area on Powder Mountain when two of the men attempted to climb a steep, snow-laden slope, said Whistler RCMP Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair in a press release.



The two sledders triggered the avalanche at about 3:30 p.m. and it buried one of the two men.



Police were notified and search and rescue, ski patrol and two avalanche dog teams were deployed to the area by helicopter.



The victim's friends managed to dig him out after about 20 minutes, but he was unconscious, unresponsive and had no pulse. His friends started CPR and continued until search and rescue arrived and took over, the release said.



CPR continued as the snowmobiler was transferred by helicopter and ambulance to the Whistler Health Care Centre, but he did not survive and was pronounced dead.



"The investigation into this tragic incident continues and highlights the dangers that exist in the backcountry," LeClair said. "People traveling in the backcountry must ensure that they exercise sound judgment when selecting their routes of travel and are properly trained and equipped for companion rescue."



There has been significant avalanche activity in the Whistler and Pemberton areas in recent days, with slides in the Duffey Lake area reported on Saturday and Sunday (March 3 and 4).



There were slides today in the Spearhead and Rutherford areas as well, said Wayne Flann of Whistler Search and Rescue.

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