Washington - Two separate avalanches have claimed the lives of a skier and snowboarder in British Columbia, just days after eight snowmobilers met a similar fate on the perilous slopes of Canada's westernmost province, the Toronto Star reported Friday.

The 26-year-old snowboarder died Thursday while snowboarding solo on a part of Whistler Mountain that was closed to the public. Whistler is to host events during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

A 37-year-old skier was buried in sliding snow late Wednesday on nearby Blackcomb Mountain, the newspaper reported.

"The problem is you've got tempting conditions with fresh snow on the other side of the boundary lines and people are ducking the ropes to go into those areas," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair was quoted as saying.

On Sunday, a group of 11 snowmobilers encountered two avalanches about 20 kilometres east of Fernie town in the Canadian Rockies. The men had been in the Harvey Pass area, a popular destination for snowmobilers.

Only three emerged alive. The first group died in the first avalanche, and the second died as they tried to pull them out and triggered a second avalanche. (dpa)