Based on coverage from CBC, Castanet, Lethbridge News Now, and Haida Gwaii Observer.
Three heli-skiers were killed in an avalanche on Mount Knauss, about 30 kilometres north of Terrace in northwest B.C., RCMP say. A fourth skier survived but was seriously injured and taken to hospital.
This tragic incident follows a recent avalanche in Alberta that claimed the life of a 15-year-old near Nakiska Ski Hill, underscoring the ongoing risks associated with backcountry skiing in Canada. For more on that incident, see our previous coverage here.
The slide hit the Iridium Shoulder ski run on Sunday afternoon, part of what police and forecasters are describing as a dangerous stretch for backcountry travel in the region.
Mount Knauss avalanche near Terrace B.C.
Terrace RCMP say they received the first report of an avalanche just before 1:30 p.m. PT on Sunday. Another report puts the call at 1:28 p.m. Both accounts describe the same incident: four heli-skiers were caught on Mount Knauss’s Iridium Shoulder run.
Police say officers activated search and rescue and coordinated with paramedics, who staged at a local lodge to receive patients. Rescuers were able to recover all four people.
RCMP say one person was airlifted off the mountain and transported to hospital with serious injuries. In a separate statement, police said the injured skier is now in stable condition. The other three were confirmed dead at the scene and later recovered from the mountain.
Mount Knauss is roughly 710 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.
RCMP and B.C. Coroners Service investigation
The B.C. Coroners Service has taken over the investigation into the three deaths, according to RCMP. Police have not released the names of the victims.
One report includes an RCMP spokesperson saying there is no suspicion of criminality. Beyond that, details remain limited, including the identity of the heli-ski operator. One outlet said police did not disclose the operator and that it was working to confirm that information.
Avalanche Canada warning for northwest B.C.
Avalanche Canada’s outlook for the region points to why conditions can turn quickly, even for experienced riders with professional support. The agency said avalanche danger in the alpine in northwest B.C. mountains was expected to be “considerable” on Monday.
Forecasters also flagged weather from Sunday as a key factor: new snowfall combined with strong southwest winds. That mix can build unstable layers, especially in wind-affected terrain, where snow can be loaded into thicker, more reactive slabs.
“Considerable” doesn’t mean “don’t go,” but it does mean people can trigger avalanches and that consequences can be severe, especially in bigger alpine terrain where heli-skiing often happens.
Deadly B.C. avalanche season since December 2025
The Mount Knauss deaths are part of a grim season in B.C.’s backcountry. With the most recent fatalities, nine people have now died in avalanches in the province since December 2025, according to the reporting included with the RCMP updates.
Earlier Monday, police in Atlin also reported an avalanche fatality near Pleasant Camp and the Klehini River, close to the B.C.-Alaska border. That report added to the sense that risk has been widespread across the northwest.
For skiers and snowboarders across B.C., the immediate impact is simple: conditions are volatile, and even guided trips can run into serious trouble when wind and fresh snow stack the deck. The Coroners Service investigation will continue, while RCMP say their file remains open.
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