Our condolences go out to the family and loved ones of Emilio Hrazdira 💔💔
What Happened
Friday started like any other day on the mountain. Then, at 12:49 p.m., Cochrane RCMP got the call.
Two teenage skiers had been swept up in an avalanche at Nakiska Ski Area in Kananaskis Country about 100 kilometres west of Calgary. One managed to dig himself out. The other wasn't found right away.
When rescue crews located the second skier, he was unresponsive. He was loaded into a ground ambulance and rushed to the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary in life-threatening condition.
Early Saturday morning, Emilio Hrazdira 15 years old, a student at Queen Elizabeth High School in northwest Calgary died.
What Avalanche Canada's Report Says
This isn't just a tragic accident with no explanation. Avalanche Canada filed an incident report, and it tells you exactly what happened on that slope.
The two were bootpacking hiking up the mountain on foot, carrying their skis when they triggered the slide. The avalanche was a wind slab, released at 2,250 metres. Avalanche Canada classified it as a size two. One skier was partially buried. Emilio was fully buried.
Conditions that day weren't a surprise either. Avalanche Canada had already rated danger in the area as "considerable" Level 3 out of 5 meaning human-triggered avalanches were likely. That warning had been in place since Thursday.
Witnesses on the hill placed the slide near the Monster Glades area, a section of Nakiska rated for advanced skiers with predominantly blue and black runs.
The Ski Community Responds
The Alberta Alpine Ski Association confirmed both teenagers were association athletes. In a statement posted to their website, they wrote:
"We are heartbroken and profoundly saddened by this tragic loss of life, and we extend our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family as they navigate this unimaginable grief. Our entire community is shaken by this event."
Nakiska Ski Area said a full investigation is underway. The resort, which has operated since the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics and remains one of the primary training grounds for Alberta's young competitive skiers, has not confirmed the specific location of the slide on the mountain.
A School in Mourning
Queen Elizabeth High School principal Jennifer Edmondson-Neily sent a letter home to parents Saturday. She asked families to talk to their kids, to lean on each other, and to seek support.
"A loss such as this may affect individuals in different ways, and it is important to seek support when needed," she wrote. "This incident has deeply impacted our community and reminds us of the importance and value of heartfelt connections to one another. We have extended our support to Emilio's family at this very difficult time."
The school will have supports available for students starting Monday.
The Bigger Picture
Emilio's death is the fifth avalanche fatality in western Canada this season and four of those five happened in the last two weeks alone. It's been a brutal stretch across the mountain west.
Avalanche Canada has repeatedly flagged dangerous snowpack conditions throughout the season, with wind slab and storm slab problems affecting multiple forecast regions simultaneously.
Sources: Cochrane RCMP statement, February 27-28, 2026; Avalanche Canada incident report; Alberta Alpine Ski Association official statement (albertaalpine.ca); Queen Elizabeth High School principal letter to parents, February 28, 2026.
