On a clear, cold morning in January 1998, in the Selkirk Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, six experienced skiers were buried in a massive avalanche. They didn't have a chance. A combination of factors — steep, open terrain; an unstable winter snow pack; poor weather conditions; and a trigger provided by a handful of backcountry skiers — made the tragedy, the worst day for avalanche deaths in Canadian history and one of the most tragic in North America, inevitable. This personalized view of an avalanche explores a natural phenomenon that has been, and remains, a force of awesome, unstoppable power. The author also raises questions about risk — and about what might have enticed a group of knowledgeable, experienced skiers to place themselves in the path of an avalanche.