Young Pincher Creek skier dies after collision with a pole at Castle Mountain

RCMP Alberta - On February 13th, 2018 at approximately 11:30 am, Pincher Creek RCMP and Emergency Services responded to the Castle Mountain Ski Resort for a report of a 10-year-old girl who had suffered serious head injuries.

The 10-year-old, a student at Canyon Elementary in Pincher Creek, was on a planned school ski trip when she lost control while skiing, striking a pole. She was wearing a helmet at the time.

Staff from the Castle Ski Hill attended and provided aid until Pincher Creek Emergency Services arrived on scene. Due to poor weather conditions, the 10-year-old was transported via ground ambulance to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. At 9:45 pm, Pincher Creek RCMP were advised that the 10-year-old had succumbed to her injuries and was declared deceased.

Pincher Creek RCMP are assisting the medical examiner is investigating the death and Victim Services is engaged with the family of the deceased as well as the Canyon Elementary school students and staff.

The identity of the deceased is not being released.

Castle Wildland Provincial Park closed due to fire conditions

Castle Mountain Resort - Early this afternoon Castle Mountain Resort management and staff met with officials from Wildfire AB, the Department of Environment and Parks, as well as officials from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry for the province of Alberta.

This morning a closure of the Castle Provincial Park and Wildland Park was made official. Record dry conditions, the relatively close proximity of the wildfire burning near the border of Waterton Lakes National Park, Castle Wildland Provincial Park, and within the BC Provincial Park of Akaminia-Kishinena, necessitated this closure as a way to mitigate additional risk to the public. It is estimated that the fire is still near 20 kilometres away from Castle Mountain Resort and a full-scale evacuation is NOT being considered at this time.

Castle Area Servicing Study completed, to be presented to province

CDTL - On June 27, 2016 the Government of Alberta announced a $448,832 grant to support detailed design work to extend the MD of Pincher Creek's regional water supply system to include the community of Beaver Mines. In late March of this year the Government of Alberta announced a $9 million grant to extend the Beaver Mines potable water pipeline connection along Highway 774 to Castle Mountain Resort.