Two snowboarders found themselves half a kilometre out of bounds at Marmot Basin and in dangerous avalanche terrain on April 15 before Parks Canada staff airlifted them to safety.

The two women aged 20 and 21 from Edmonton, were trying to access the upper areas of the mountain when they ducked out of bounds and began making their way down. The snowboarders hiked half a kilometre past the Marmot Basin boundary and into the park, and found themselves stuck in an avalanche chute.

“It was a hot day and there were lots of avalanches happening,” Public Safety Officer Steve Blake said, commenting on the unseasonably warm 20C temperature.

The snowboarders had to hike through chest-deep snow in parts, and soon realized they were in over their heads. Fortunately, their cellphone worked and they called for help around 2 p.m., describing the terrain around them. Jasper National Park public safety officers were able to locate them and pluck the snowboarders off of the mountain by 4 p.m.

Parks crews conducted a sling rescue with the use of a long line, as conditions were too treacherous to risk landing the helicopter on the hill. One at a time, they were slung to safety. No injuries were suffered during the incident.

“Because it’s a big piece of avalanche terrain, we wanted to be out of there as quickly as possible and disturb the land as little as possible,” Blake said.

The snowboarders must have ducked at least one boundary line, Blake said. Snow conditions varied between bare patches and a metre and a half deep.

Parks Canada public safety crews have been busy with avalanche conditions, working in the southern part of the park and in the Maligne Valley.

“Warm weather instigates a spring avalanche cycle,” Blake said. “The avalanche conditions are such that you want to avoid sunny slopes in the middle part of the day.”