Two people have been killed after being caught in an avalanche in Kananaskis Country, Alta.

RCMP say the two men were in the Burstall Pass area of the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park on Saturday afternoon when they were swept away by the snow slide.

Three other people witnessed the avalanche which took place some 135 kilometres southwest of Calgary.

Kananaskis Public Safety dispatched a helicopter to the scene, but were too late to save the men.

One of the victims was found Saturday, but rescuers were unable to recover the body when darkness fell.

Emergency crews returned Sunday morning and were able to locate and recover both victims. Police say neither men were wearing locator beacons.

Local officials have been warning people to stay away from the area where the avalanche occurred since Tuesday.

"We wouldn't be recommending anybody head into alpine, or even treeline terrain simply because the avalanche rating has been so high," said Duane Fizor, the information services co-ordinator for Kananaskis Country.

Fizor said the area where the slide took place is popular with telemark and alpine touring skiers, as well as a few travellers on snowshoes.

According to the Alberta government's Saturday afternoon back country avalanche report for Kananaskis Country, rising temperatures combined with lots of snow and strong winds meant the risk for avalanche at treeline and above was high.

"Now is a good time to avoid exposure to avalanche terrain," the online report stated, noting that conditions were ideal for slab development, which leads to avalanches.

Both men who were killed are believed to be in their forties, but police are withholding their identities until next of kin has been notified.

Autopsies are scheduled for this week.

Meanwhile, across the boundary in southeastern B.C. on Saturday, seven people on an expert ski run at the Fernie Alpine Resort were caught up in an avalanche, but no one was killed.

The resort says none of the seven were entirely buried by the snow slide, but one young male skier received a leg injury and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

The young skier taken to hospital was quickly released and was able to walk out of hospital on his own.

Highways in southeastern B.C. have also faced closure over the weekend due to the avalanche threat.