Boulder Mountain drama... after the avalanche

A grieving Alberta widow wants to know why, even after clear avalanche warnings, an event which was clearly dangerous, especially to a bunch of weekend thrill-seekers, went ahead.

The executive director of the BC Snowmobile Federation provides an answer.

"Right now it's personal choice," Les Austin said in an interview from Revelstoke. "I don't believe there needs to be greater regulation. We need greater education and stuff like that so people can make better-informed decisions. That doesn't happen overnight."

Yeah. I guess a series of snowmobile triggered avalanches are pretty tough to absorb over all that noise. And as for the effect of their actions on everybody else?

And what of the time, cost and personal risk associated with rescue efforts for snowmobilers who get into trouble after wilfully ignoring avalanche warnings?

"You're right, we appreciate all the rescue efforts because without all those people this thing could have been worse than it was," he said.

Consequences of one's behaviour. Taught in primary school.

Of course, given all the warnings, we could just call it suicide and let the insurance companies provide the lesson.

In the meantime, there's always this.