Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park

A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.

A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.

Friends have identified the man as Rob Coppollilo, a husband, father and the owner of Vetta Mountain Guides based out of Seattle, Washington.

Close friend and professional colleague, Brian Lazar, says Coppollilo was leading a trip when the accident happened and his friend had all the right safety measures in place at the time.

On April 18, Parks Canada officials said they received an emergency call from Icefall Lodge, located in a remote area near the Lyell Icefield, about someone who had fallen into a crevasse near Christian Peak in Banff National Park.

Rescuers responded by Alpine Helicopters to the site near the Alberta-BC boundary to find the skier had been extracted and members of the group were providing first aid.

Officials say Coppollilo was in the crevasse for about an hour.

“The visitor safety specialists continued first aid and transported the seriously injured skier to Lake Louise where they were transferred to STARS air ambulance,” said James Eastham with Parks Canada.