A Whitehorse man who was buried up to his neck after an avalanche on the White Pass summit last Saturday managed to make it out with no injuries – thanks to help from other nearby recreationalists.

Kirstie Simpson, president of the Yukon Avalanche Association, said this morning it's believed the avalanche was caused by skiers.

The avalanche around mid-day buried the skier – on his own in the Feather Peak area – up to his chest and neck.

First feeling the incident from above and then hearing it, a larger party below the skier travelled back to see if anyone was in trouble.

They found the buried skier, whose name hasn't been made public, and managed to get him out with no injuries.

They also travelled further back and though another avalanche, caused by the first, had occurred there, no other back-country skiers were in trouble.

Simpson said three factors can lead to avalanches, and that anyone travelling should be aware of when they're in the back country.

The first is the human factor with people using the backcountry. It's important the recreationalists don't go out alone and never assume someone else's tracks are safe.

As she pointed out, changes in weather since the tracks were laid can impact their safety.

Terrain is another factor, with avalanches a possibility for ranges between 30 and 45 degrees. Wind-loaded gulleys should be avoided, Simpson said.

Finally, weather can be a major factor in an avalanche occurring, with any changes making a difference.

Sudden warming or rain can affect the snow pack as well as any snowfall or wind.

There are a number of courses and information available on avalanche safety, she noted.

Simpson pointed out the discussion forum on the Klondike region at the Canadian Avalanche Centre website (http://avalanche.ca) often highlights conditions of popular back country spots like the White Pass summit.

The Yukon Avalanche Association's site also includes details for local events such as the recently held Avalanche Awareness Day in January. It is available at http://www.yukonavalanche.ca.