One airlifted to hospital after avalanche on glacier in Yoho National Park

Parks Canada says it has responded to an avalanche involving three people in the Rocky Mountains as it waits for better conditions to resume searching for three other climbers believed to have died earlier this week.

The agency says STARS Air Ambulance took one male patient to a hospital in Calgary following an avalanche involving a party of three on Des Poilus Glacier on the Wapta Icefield in Yoho National Park.

A spokeswoman for STARS says the male was in critical condition, while Parks Canada says the two others weren’t injured.

Parks Canada spokesperson Chelsey Dawes says in an email that there’s no further information on the slide, except that it was not connected to the avalanche that happened Tuesday on Howse Peak in Banff National Park.

American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer disappeared while attempting to climb the east face of the peak and were reported overdue on Wednesday.

Parks Canada’s mountain safety team responded by helicopter and saw signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment, and recovery efforts have been on hold due to bad weather and continued risk of avalanches.

“Once we have appropriate weather conditions, we can ensure the area is safe for team members and search and recovery efforts will be able to continue,” Dawes wrote on Saturday.

“Personnel are on site to monitor weather, assess avalanche hazards and mitigate risks to acceptable levels.”

Outdoor apparel company The North Face said the three were professional climbers are were members of its Global Athlete Team.