World champion snowboarder Mark McMorris recovering after crash in B.C.

Mark McMorris is recovering in hospital following a crash near Whistler, B.C.

McMorris was in the back country in an area known as Rainbow Mountain, across the valley from Whistler.

Brad Sills, president of the Whistler Search and Rescue Society, said the area is sled-accessed frequented by snowmobilers and adventure-sports participants.

Sills said there was a kicker jump, about 25 metres in height, and a landing area situated between two mature mountain hemlock trees.

“The subject was not successful in landing in that area and unfortunately collided with the base of the tree with considerable force.”

He said emergency efforts were ramped up when crews arrived and realized McMorris was in worse condition than originally thought.

McMorris was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital.

Canada Snowboard put out a news release, saying McMorris had suffered a fractured jaw, fractured left arm, ruptured spleen, a pelvic fracture, rib fractures and a collapsed left lung.

He underwent two surgeries on the weekend and both were successful.

“We fully support Mark and he is already under the incredible care of the staff of the Vancouver General Hospital,” said Canada Snowboard executive director Patrick Jarvis in a news release. “Mark has shown incredible resilience and commitment to recovering from injury and we know that PyeongChang 2018 will be a strong motivation for his comeback.”

Sills said they deal with incidents like this often.

“There’s a lot of action filming going on and there’s a lot of young people experimenting.”