One woman is dead after being trapped in an avalanche near Ymir.
RCMP say the 32-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, was back country skiing Saturday morning with two other people near Qua Peak, which is 20 minutes south of Nelson.
While the group was descending a slope a large avalanche trapped all three skiers at 9 a.m. Every skier deployed inflatable avalanche bags, and two of the skiers managed to locate each other.
The third was found half buried and unresponsive. She was transported by helicopter to Nelson where she was pronounced dead.
RCMP say the group were experienced back country skiers who had proper equipment and avalanche training.
Avalanche Canada describes the Kootenay Boundary as currently having an "unusually weak snowpack" that is likely to lead to avalanches throughout the region.