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Man Falls 250 Metres Near Lake Louise, Seriously Injured

Three people who were on a separate peak heard the man's cries, and called park officials.
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LAKE LOUISE, Alta. — A 29-year-old man has serious back injuries after falling from a rock ridge onto a glacier in the area of Lake Louise in Alberta.

Tania Peters, spokeswoman with Parks Canada in Yoho National Park, says the man was scrambling on Popes Peak on the boundary of Banff and Yoho national parks around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday when he fell 250 metres.

She says scrambling means someone who is going up into the alpine area of the mountains, but is not necessarily roped or harnessed.

Three people who were on a separate peak heard the man's cries, and called park officials.

Peters says park safety specialists likely used a helicopter to find the man and he was taken to a Calgary hospital by air ambulance.

She says there has been a lot of rockfall in alpine areas and people should consider that when deciding to scramble or climb in those areas this weekend.

Peters says that had the three people not alerted officials, it could have been a different outcome for the injured man.

"They would have heard this from quite a distance so it wouldn't have been necessarily clear but they made the decision to call in pretty confident that they were hearing calls for help ... potentially these people saved this individual's life,'' she said Wednesday.

People hiking, scrambling or climbing in the mountains should plan their activities early in the day so if something does happen, there is time to get to them before it gets dark, Peters said.

She also recommends that people designate someone who is at home to be their call-back person who knows their plans and can call 911 to alert officials if someone doesn't turn up when they are supposed to.

As well, don't count on cell service in the mountains, Peters said. She recommends carrying a locator beacon if scrambling or climbing in remote areas.

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