Ken Wylie: The guilt of surviving a deadly avalanche

Saturday Morning

Ken Wylie was guiding climbers on British Columbia's remote La Traviata peak, when an avalanche came crashing down, burying him and 12 others. Seven people died that day in January 2003, but Ken survived. The book he wrote about the experience, Buried, is a reflection of the mistakes and the motivations that contributed to the tragedy, how it influenced the rest of his life, and how out of tragedy and guilt came some personal and professional growth. Wylie is now devoted to educating others about hazard management. He appeared recently in Wanaka at the Southern Hemisphere Alpine Conference (SHAC), which the Mountain Safety Council holds every two years.