'Huge learning experience': Backcountry skier rescued in Jasper National Park after sudden injury

An Alberta woman is thankful for emergency crews who could rescue her from the side of a mountain after she was injured while backcountry skiing and hopes others can learn from her experience.

Experienced backcountry skier Brooklyn Blundell was enjoying the slopes with her friend Heidi in the Bald Hills area of Jasper National Park last month when she fell into a tree well and got caught in branches.

"I kind of just fell," Blundell said, as she recalled the incident to CTV News Edmonton. "From there (I) tumbled right into this tree."

Heidi managed to get Blundell's skis off and cut her out of the tree well. That was when Blundell said she noticed her knee was injured and could barely stand on her own.

"I was just walking normally," she said, "(when) one part of the leg went one way, and the other part went the other way."

The pair of skiers, who had cellphones, could not find any reception. Blundell said they decided that Heidi would ski down and get help.

Brooklyn Blundell was able to put her leg into a splint after she injured her knee in the Bald Hills area of Jasper National Park (Supplied).

"Unfortunately, when you're in the backcountry, you're not always going to have cell service, and I knew that where we were, we didn't have cell service," Blundell said.

"I took out my avalanche shovel," she added. "I shovelled out a good little hole."

That hole would be home for several hours as Heidi tried to get help. Blundell used an extra jacket for warmth until she could gather some of the cut branches from the tree she got stuck in to start a small fire.

As it started to get dark, Blundell's fire had warmed the snow surrounding her, causing it to collapse. Unfortunately, her lighters got soaked.

"It wasn't super cold, or so I didn't think it was anyways," she said. "I think it was about minus 16 (degrees Celsius)."

"We were out there pretty far," Blundell added. "So I thought (it would take) maybe four or five hours before someone could get to me.

"I was pretty happy when I heard voices."

Rescuers help experienced backcountry skier Brooklyn Blundell after she injured her knee in the Bald Hills area of Jasper National Park (Supplied).

After three-and-a-half hours of waiting, Blundell said rescuers reached her. After she was loaded onto a stretcher, it took another four hours to get down the mountain.

Luckily, Blundell said she only tore her meniscus.

PREPARATION IS KEY TO OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

For local guide and avalanche safety skills instructor Sean Prockter, being prepared for an emergency is critical.

Prockter says the key to winter survival is being able to start a fire.

"You need to be able to melt water to drink water," he said. "(You also need fire) to be able to stay warm."

He recommended that outdoor enthusiasts always plan for a worst-case scenario that if something goes wrong, they should have supplies to stay the night in the wilderness and have some form of satellite communication.

"Something that's a two-way communication is super key," Prockter added. "In order to be able to not just say, hey, I need help, but say what is the help that I need. Am I just lost in the woods, or do I have a broken femur or a bummed up knee.

"That really helps the search and rescue know what they need to bring and how to prepare."

In 2021, search and rescue crews were called upon 160 times in Jasper National Park.

Looking back now from the safety of her home, Blundell said she was fortunate because she and Heidi were prepared for an emergency, including having a first aid kit, warm clothing, and avalanche shovels.

"It was the best-case scenario for the worst-case scenario," Blundell said, adding that the only thing the pair overlooked was a backup means of communication.

"That was definitely one of the big things that we took away," she said. "A huge learning thing was you always need to have a different form of communication besides just your phone. Phones are great, but only when they work."

Brooklyn Blundell hopes others can learn from her experience of being injured in the Bald Hills area of Jasper National Park (CTV News Edmonton).

As she recovers from her injury, Blundell hopes her close call can help raise awareness of the need to be prepared when going into the backcountry for an outdoor adventure.

"Whether it's summer, winter, whether you're going skidooing in the mountains or hiking or trail riding or anything. Educate yourself," she added. "Get first aid. Learn about the area.

"You can never pack too much, especially when something goes wrong. You're going to use everything that you ever packed."