Woman falls to death on popular but "extremely dangerous" BC hike
A 28-year-old woman is dead after falling from a very steep section of a trail near Whistler, BC on Monday.
Nicole Killian from Richmond, Vermont was hiking the Black Tusk in Garibaldi Provincial Park when she fell on the chimney portion near the summit.
An RCMP helicopter was dispatched to the scene along with paramedics and search and rescue personnel, but despite medical aid she died of her injuries shortly after the fall.
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“Garibaldi Provincial Park and the Black Tusk is a highly popular area in the Sea to Sky and although readily travelled this remains a technical and advanced level hike” Staff Sergeant Sascha Banks said in a news release. “The Black Tusk Chimney and scree portion can be extremely dangerous to even the most skilled adventurer.”
Killian was a search and rescue member herself — working with the Richmond Rescue team in Vermont. She had also just earned her doctorate from NYU as a Nurse Practitioner and spent her time working in the ER in addition to helping the search and rescue team.
“Nicole was a rescuer of dogs and people alike. She loved her friends and family deeply,” her family said in a statement distributed by police. “She was impeccably herself and is irreplaceable.”
BC Parks, police, and the BC Coroners Service are conducting a joint investigation into the circumstances leading to Killian’s death. Anyone who was in the area at the time of her fall and has information to provide is asked to contact police 604-932-3044.