Wendy Allen knew her daughter would be special before she was even born.

In 1997, Allen was at home in labour when a bird that looked like a Tennessee warbler flew into the room. Allen took it as inspiration and named her daughter Tennessee Bird Andersen, or Tenne for short.

Growing up on a rural property south of Nelson, Andersen thrived in nature. Allen remembers teaching Andersen the names of plants and butterflies, and watching as the child who carried chickens under her arms matured into a young woman inspired by outdoor recreation.

鈥淪he was a weekend warrior. She just wanted to be out there every minute,鈥� says Allen. 鈥淪he took trips all the way down to Monument Valley and wanted to climb there. She just fed off it, she just fed off nature.鈥�

On Feb. 11, Andersen and an unidentified male friend were south of Tatla Lake in the Potato Mountain Range located in B.C.鈥檚 Chilcotin region.

Nine people have now died this year in avalanches, including Nelson police officers .

Allen said the pair had accessed a hut using snowmobiles. They stayed the night, then opted to ski tour the next day. Avalanche Canada said that triggered an avalanche on the mountain鈥檚 east-facing slope.

Central Cariboo Search and Rescue, of which Andersen was a volunteer, as well as RCMP and an avalanche safety officer found their bodies two days later.

Rick White, Central Cariboo SAR chief, said in a statement that the death of Andersen has been traumatic for his team. 鈥淭his member鈥檚 kind soul, and bright light, will be significantly missed.鈥�

After graduating from Nelson鈥檚 L.V. Rogers Senior Secondary, Andersen did a double degree in psychology and environmental management at Simon Fraser University where she graduated in 2022.

Allen said Andersen was working at a desk job in Vancouver when an opportunity to work as a park ranger in the Williams Lake area opened. She bought a van, lived out of the vehicle on a horse farm, and was thrilled to be working in nature. On weekends she hiked, practised photography (Andersen had ), and explored the region.

A long, happy career as a park ranger, Allen said, seemed to be her daughter鈥檚 future.

鈥淪he wanted to go to the hotspots, she always wanted to climb. She was just unstoppable. She loved being out in nature. 鈥� Her job was going to be protecting nature, protecting animals, protecting swampland, protecting all the things that need to be need to happen in order for us to preserve all these beautiful things.鈥�

Avalanche Canada no longer lists the Tatla Lake area as a risk, but several areas around B.C. including in the Kootenays continue to be rated as considerable or high danger.

Allen doesn鈥檛 think touring the backcountry is worth the danger. She wishes now she would have told her daughter that.

鈥淔or a girl like her, she had all the enthusiasm. If I could talk to her again, I would have said don鈥檛 go. Just hike in the summer, not in the winter.鈥�

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| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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