Searchers hope for 2nd shot to find man missing in avalanche

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. – Crews will try again today to reach a missing search and rescue technician believed to be buried in deep snow in Alberta.

Searchers and dog teams were finally able to access the site in Banff National Park on Monday after being held off for days by the threat of avalanches.

But after just two-and-a-half hours, the hunt for Sgt. Mark Salesse had to be called off due to the threat of further slides.

Parks Canada says no trace of Salesse was found at the Polar Circus ice-climbing area and that their effort is now a recovery mission.

Salesse, 44, a Winnipeg-based search and rescue technician, was ice climbing last Thursday as part of his training when an avalanche was triggered.

Parks Canada has said that additional avalanches since Thursday – both natural and ones triggered to improve safety – have fallen on the area where Salesse is believed to be buried.