A Calgary man has died after his inner tube crashed into a fence post during a late-night lark at a closed British Columbia ski resort.
According to officials, the 27-year-old man was among a group of adults who trudged about one kilometre up a darkened main ski run at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, B.C. in order to sled down early Tuesday morning.
The deceased man, whose name is not being released at the request of his family, slammed into a wooden fence designed to keep skiers away from the loading zone of the Catamount quad chair lift. His friends called for help.
At 1:08 a.m., RCMP in Golden received a 911 call of a possible sudden death at the ski hill. Slope-side security was alerted at the same time. Within minutes, security, an off-duty emergency room nurse and relatives arrived at the scene, police said. An ambulance was also dispatched.
The man was pronounced dead at the Golden & District Hospital.
Resort spokesman Jordan Petrovics said Kicking Horse, which is located about three hours west of Calgary, does not allow night skiing or sliding on its trails, which are unlit at night. There are also signs warning against the practice and information on the back of lift tickets, which is standard in the industry, he added.
Security conducts regular patrols after-hours.
"As any ski resort, the bottom area of the mountain is a very large area. There's a lot of terrain to cover," Mr. Petrovics said. "However, these individuals managed to make their way up the mountain without anyone knowing about it."
Mr. Petrovics would not speculate about whether alcohol was involved, but resort staff is working with the RCMP, which is handling the ongoing investigation.
"We extend our sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of those involved," Mr. Petrovics said.