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Coroner confirms identity of skier killed in Whistler backcountry

19-year-old Frederik Gordner Husted likely died of blunt force trauma to chest Feb.20
phalanx-mountain

The BC Coroners Service has confirmed that a skier who died on Phalanx Mountain on the backcountry of Blackcomb Mountain is Frederik Gordner Husted, aged 19.

Husted was originally from Denmark and had been living and working in Whistler Village at the time of his death. Facebook and YouTube posts with his name attached indicate he spent a significant amount of time in the mountains and TV2 described him as a keen and competent skier.

At 3:25 p.m. on Feb. 20, the Whistler RCMP were notified by Whistler Search and Rescue that they had responded to an incident on Phalanx Mountain.

The Danish skier was skiing in the area and dropped off a terrain feature, striking a rock upon landing. His companion called emergency at roughly 1:50 p.m. that day to report the incident, which was relayed to Whistler Search and Rescue just after 2 p.m.

A Search and Rescue team was already responding to a call of a broken ankle on Rethel Mountain, near Wedge Mountain, at the time with a crew and a helicopter. They had to reconfigure the helicopter for a stretcher rescue at the base, but were able to fly out by 2:20 p.m.

During that time they received updates regarding the status of the injured male. He reportedly lost consciousness and had stopped breathing by the time the crew arrived, which started performing CPR immediately after landing.

The male was taken by helicopter to the municipal heli-pad and then by ambulance to the Whistler Health Care Centre, while life-saving efforts continued throughout. At the health care centre he succumbed to his injuries.

The incident is under investigation, but it appears that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to his chest.

The male was accompanied by one other skier. Both are believed to be Danish Nationals. The area they were skiing was on the north side of Phalanx Mountain, on the other side of the ridge from the Blackcomb Glacier and an area known locally as the "Poop Chutes."

The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate this death.