Snowmobile events need tighter rules: widow

The wife of a man killed in a weekend avalanche near Revelstoke, B.C., wants to know why the extreme snowmobiling event her husband attended went ahead despite avalanche warnings.

Two 33-year-old Albertans Shay Snortland of Lacombe and Kurtis Reynolds of Strathmore died Saturday in the snow slide on Boulder Mountain, which alsoinjured dozens of other spectators.

More than 200 people had gathered for the Big Iron Shoot-out, a backcountry eventin whichsnowmobilers push their machines as high as they'll go up the slope.

Janine Snortland said such events should be better regulated and need betterwarnings at the site, especially since theBig Iron Shoot-out was attended by so many out-of-towners.

"This didn't have to happen," shesaid. "You know, the locals knew what was going on, [but] these are Alberta boys. They've never seen an avalanche."

Organizers bear some of the responsibility and should have stopped the event after avalanchewarningswere issued bythe Canadian Avalanche Centre, she said.

"Theyre talking about cancelling these kinds of things, well, I dont think they should, you know. I just think, let's put some safety precautions in there.

"If the weather was bad, you turn people away. You don't allow it, right?"

Snortland said she doesn't want to see anybody face criminal charges because "enough bad has happened" and she understands and shares the enthusiasm for snowmobiling.

"What I would like to see is safety measures brought in make it a sanctioned event instead of using the RCMP to dig out bodies."

Three people remained in hospital Monday with serious injuries.

Other victim was bystander

ShannonReynolds, the widow of the other man killed, said he was in Revelstoke for an annual"guys' weekend away."

Reynolds said herhusbandwas not an avid sledder and that this year was only the secondtime that he had attended the event.

"Kurtis was just a spectator who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," Reynolds said in a statement.

"I lost the love of my life. We were together for 15 years and married for 11 years. Kurtis was the most amazing husband and father."

B.C. backcountry rules anticipated

An avalanche expert will investigate what caused the massive slide, estimated to be up to 150 metres wide and 10 metres deep.

Police believe everyone who was in the area has been accounted for, but an investigation continues.

Meanwhile, B.C Solicitor General Kash Heed said new rules are coming to further regulate the use of the backcountry. Heed said the deaths and injuries on the weekend might havebeen prevented with stricter supervision.

Work is underway to extend existing rules around backcountry usage, including provisions for the use of permits, registration, licensing, and helmet use.

"At the end of the day, we want to ensure people can enjoy the backcountry, can explore the Crown lands in B.C., but we want them to do it safely."