BC Coroners Service investigating Travis Brown snowmobiling fatality

In a Dec. 14 statement, the B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of the man who died while snowmobiling on Boulder Mountain on Dec. 5.

Travis Allen Brown, 42, from Drayton Valley, Alberta, was the subject of a three-day search after he failed to return from a Dec. 5 solo ride on Revelstoke’s busiest snowmobiling area.

In a statement, the BC Coroners Service said a parking lot attendant noticed that Brown’s pickup truck was still in the parking lot on Dec. 6. A search was commenced on Dec. 7, and continued on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. It was suspended after Dec. 9 when search parties didn’t find any trace of Brown.

On Dec. 10, after the mountain was reopened to snowmobiling, a group of snowmobilers located Mr. Brown. His body was found near his snowmobile, and his death was not caused by an avalanche, the BC Coroners Service said.

Larry Marzinzik is the BC Coroners Service’s Regional Coroner for the Interior Region. In an interview, he said he didn’t have first-hand knowledge of this incident.

Following the fatal incident, many questions remain about the circumstances leading to the death, and what can be done in the future to prevent future fatalities.

Marzinzik said the investigation could take about three months, but that was “dependent on where the investigation leads.”

He said said the service would make recommendations, “if we see anything during our investigation that could add to prevention of further death in the future.”

In media statements, police have said Brown was wearing a beacon that was transmitting when he was found, but Brown was not located during a helicopter beacon search.

On social media, individuals have questioned why the air and ground search wasn’t commenced earlier; authorities said his vehicle was found Sunday morning, but the search started on Monday.

“We don’t get into that area of blame laying,” Marzinzik said, adding the focus of the investigation is to provide recommendations to prevent future fatalities.

“Those persons can contact the coroners service directly if they feel they have information,” he said. The regional phone number for the BC Coroners Service is 250-861-7429.